Aftermath
by unolimbo
Summary: KD 6 years in, the war ends Kel finds she has to go home to a world she doesn't know anymore. Romance too...yay! This story is COMPLETED! HUZZAH! READ IT! YAY!
1. Tagnot

Alright, this is my third Tamora Pierce fanfiction. And, like the others, it is a Kel/Dom fiction!  
  
For six years, Kel has been on the front, in a different place then all of her friends. Now, the war with Scanra is over, and it's time to go home to a world that Kel doesn't know any more.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story, except a few new, and brief, characters, and I'm not going to say it again.  
  
Voila!  
  
A trumpet sounded. Somewhere in the fort, a dog barked. Dawn was just breaking, but Lady Keladry of Mindelan, Lady Knight of Tortall, was already awake.  
  
She moved her grip on her glaive. Her palms were sweating, becoming sticky on the wooden shaft in her hands. She circled around to his other side. In a heartbeat, she lunged. He dodged.  
  
He lunged at her with his sword; she deflected it, and the sound of metal hitting metal rang out through the square.  
  
She took another swing. He deflected it, but not very well, and Kel saw her opportunity. Just as she was bringing her glaive down, he dodged and swung low. His sword hit the back of her knees, and she buckled. She quickly righted herself and swung her glaive. This time, her aim was true, and she brought her glaive down at his neck, stopping only inches away.  
  
"Victory!" She said, raising her fist in the air.  
  
The man looked up at her and smiled. She offered her hand, and he took it.  
  
Francis shook his head slowly, his graying brown hair flying all over. "You are getting predictable, Lady Kel." He said smiling, his face wrinkling.  
  
Kel smiled back to the old man. "And you're getting better."  
  
She and Francis had been training for the past three months, on every day they could. Francis was a commander in the army, stationed at the same fort as Kel. He was from the western shores of Tortall, a merchant sailor by trade many years before the war, and Kel felt a pang of loneliness when he said he had decided to go back to his old trade when the war was over.  
  
"I've been doing this too long." He said one morning, "I miss the open water, the smell of the salt, the gentle rocking of the waves, the great blue expanse."  
  
Kel closed her eyes and imagined it. She had never been to the waters in the west; the only ocean she had ever been on was the eastern ocean, on the boat to and from the Yamani islands. She knew the west was beautiful, if only from Francis' description.  
  
"I think I'm ready to get something to eat." Kel said, rubbing the back of her knees. "That really hurt, you know. What happened to practice shots?"  
  
Francis shrugged. "It's a wooden sword, and you're wearing armour. What harm can it do?"  
  
Kel frowned. "That's not quite the point."  
  
She looked up at the sky. The sun was shining brightly in the east, but the sky above Kel's head was grayish white, completely clouded over.  
  
"At least it won't rain." She said. Today was not shaping up to be the best of her days. She had almost lost to Francis at practice, it was cloudy, Jump was grumpy (she had found that out that morning, when she accidentally stepped on his tail getting out of bed), and, she realized, stepping into the large, bleak mess hall, they were having oatmeal for breakfast. Again.  
  
Kel stared at her bowl of grey, lumpy oatmeal. She was sitting in her usual seat, near, the door, alone. She had always been good at making friends. She got along with people easily, and as long as they understood that she was strong and smart, they got along very well. But there was no one she really connected with at Tagnot. The fort was large, that was true, with almost three hundred men, and one woman. But most of them were from the west, like Francis, and had never seen Kel fight, only heard stories of her. Few of them believed that she was as good a fighter as everyone said she was. After the first few battles, people began to understand why Kel came home alive, but they became resentful. She was on friendly terms with almost everyone, but it just never seemed friendly enough. She had friends, true enough, but none of them could match the friends she'd made at the palace.  
  
There was only one thing that could make her day worse. The sirens from the tower. The sirens meant that Tagnot was under attack. Kel could hear them in her head, ringing louder and clearer each time. She looked up. Those sirens weren't in her head. They were real.  
  
She grabbed her glaive and sword from beside her. She was already in most of her armour from practice, so she ran to the armoury to pick up her bow, and a moment later, she was in position on the wall. By the time all of her men arrived, she had her orders formulated in her head.  
  
She looked through her spyglass, holding a griffin feather over her eyes, just in case. "There are about 500 of them. They have archers, riders, and foot men. They are about 1500 metres away." She looked back at her men. "In position, ready to fire!" She barked. All the men readied themselves, crouching at the wall. "As soon as they are in range, I will give the command! Aim for the archers and the riders. Archers first, riders second! If you see a commander, aim for him!"  
  
She watched. Closer and closer they pulled, the archers readying their bows. Kel almost wanted to laugh at them. Her men couldn't make a shot that far, and already they were preparing? Finally, they pulled up close enough to shoot.  
  
"Ready to fire!" She called, and a row of hands pulled back the strings in time. "Fire!" She yelled, and a hail of arrows poured down. She saw at least fifty men fall. "Fire at will!" She yelled. Arrows flying all around her, she turned and ran down the stairs.  
  
"Francis! Are we ready?"  
  
"Yes sir!" He said. Kel was the commander of the forces, as the second in command was in the infirmary, and the commander was busy with other men.  
  
"I'm not sending your men out there. They will be massacred. There are at least 400 men out there still, but by the time they are close enough to shoot over the wall, I think they should be down to about 250."  
  
Francis nodded. "What is the plan of action?"  
  
Kel looked up at the wall. Fifty men, and plenty of room. "I want 25 of your best archers on the wall right now. The rest on horses and ready to fight."  
  
Francis nodded. He had a hundred men on the ground, and in a few minutes, they would be mounted and ready for battle. Kel only hoped the odds would be better. She ran back up to the top of the wall. She kneeled down to avoid getting hit, and took out her spyglass. She saw someone galloping up at the very back of the army, at least three hundred metres farther away. She didn't have time to think about an emergency messenger. She had to think about her men.  
  
"Keep your shots steady, men! I don't want to find any arrows in the dirt, every one of them should be in a man!"  
  
And she watched as the Scanran army thinned out.  
  
The battle was stopped right in the middle. The messenger Kel had seen was telling the commanders that they were not authorized to attack, and that Scanra had surrendered the evening before.  
  
The Tortallans had already killed 350 of their men.  
  
Kel sat down in her usual seat at supper and thought about it. She was going home. For six years, they had done nothing but fight. She had been offered leave twice, but both had come at bad times, at times when Kel was needed at Tagnot.  
  
She hadn't seen any of her friends in such a long time. The last time she saw Neal was when she left New Hope. Would he still consider her his best friend? Would Merric, Owen, Seaver, and all of her other friends from school even remember her? They would remember her name and her legend, but would they remember that they were her friend? Would Yuki? Or would she see Kel as only a fighter, no longer the girl she grew up with?  
  
And what about Dom? Would Kel still get the flutters in her stomach that she had gotten so many years ago? When she had been apart from Cleon for a few months they disappeared. Would the same thing happen?  
  
She shivered. Would they even all still be alive? She felt a tear fall down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away, and blinked back the rest. She couldn't cry, sitting in the middle of the mess hall. "Will they still be there for me?" She whispered to herself. She quickly stood up and brought her plate to the kitchen.  
  
"Evening, Lady Keladry." Damon said. He was a sweet young private who had always been nice to Kel. He was on duty in the kitchens. Kel smiled weakly. She liked Damon well enough, he was just always so boring. "You didn't finish your supper." He said, looking at her plate. "You always finish your supper. Especially after a battle."  
  
Kel shrugged. "I wasn't hungry." She muttered, and walked quickly out the back door.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock at her room's door. Jump leapt off the bed and started barking.  
  
"Good evening, Keladry." Alan said when she opened the door. He reached down and patted Jump on the head, who instantly stopped barking at his touch.  
  
"Good evening, sir." Kel said to her commander. He was a small man, and he didn't look very intimidating, but he was a fierce leader. His strawberry hair was in his eyes, as it always was. He was constantly interrupting himself to blow it out of his face.  
  
"You had already left when I made the announcement. Pack your bags, you leave tomorrow."  
  
Kel raised an eyebrow. "Tomorrow?"  
  
He nodded briskly. "Yes. The first group of men are going tomorrow, and I decided that you would command them on the way back. Of all the commanders, you've gone the longest without leave, so it makes sense that you go home first."  
  
Kel nodded. "Thank you, sir."  
  
He nodded and turned. "Goodnight, Lady Keladry." He closed the door behind him.  
  
Kel sighed. "I guess this means I have to pack, doesn't it?" She looked down at Jump, who gave a little yelp. "Yes, it does." She sighed, and got to work.  
  
Well, there's the first chapter! I really like this story! It makes me happy.  
  
Please review, I love reviews, and I actually want to get a lot on this one! My other ones have been out so long, and they still only have about a hundred, at the most!  
  
Love you all!  
  
-unolimbo 


	2. Home again, home again

Here's chapter two- enjoy!  
  
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"First things first." Kel said, sitting on Hoshi's back, Peachblossom just beside her. "Roll call."  
  
Someone groaned. Kel felt the corner of her mouth flicker. "This is just barrack one, correct?"  
  
"Yes sir!" The men said back.  
  
Kel nodded. "The entire barrack?"  
  
"Yes sir!"  
  
She smiled. This would be easy. Give the men something to think about. "Your beds are in alphabetical order, and you should be now, as well. Check. Is the person who sleeps above you here? Is the person who sleeps below you here?"  
  
She saw all the men look from side to side. "Sir, yes sir!" They said in unison.  
  
Kel sighed. They had been at war too long. They were going home, for gods sake. "Very good. Let's move out. And we're not at war any more. We're all friends here." She paused. "Mostly." She added quietly at the end, so no one but her could hear. "No more formalities. I'm Lady Kel, or Kel, which ever you prefer. Now let's go!"  
  
The days passed slowly for Kel. It was a twelve day trip back to Corus, and she found herself passing much of it alone, riding in the front of the group, with only her animals as her companions. She found herself talking to them often.  
  
"Only two days until we reach Corus, Jump. Are you excited?" She said one morning as they set off.  
  
The dog barked and jumped in the air as he ran along beside the horses. Kel smiled. A few of the sparrows were flying ahead for watch, but the ones who stayed back played in the sky, dive bombing Jump and flying circles around Peachblossoms head, who snapped at them playfully. At least her animals were happy.  
  
"Lady Kel!" She turned and saw Damon ride up to her.  
  
"Morning Damon." She said. She was glad to have someone to talk to.  
  
"The gents are wondering when we're reaching Corus." He said. "Many of them live in the west, they have even further to travel past Corus, you know."  
  
Kel nodded. She could see the happiness in the young mans eyes at going home. He hadn't been at Tagnot very long. Only a year, at the most, but he was young, and he would probably be an apprentice, or a worker. Kel could tell he missed what ever it was.  
  
"We'll be there by sundown tomorrow, if not earlier. We're making very good time." She said.  
  
Damon nodded and repeated the information back to all the men. They cheered to Kel, glad that they would only be spending one more night outside.  
  
"What are you going home to?" Kel asked Damon.  
  
He looked down for a second, almost embarrassed to say it, but he seemed to get over his embarrassment when he realized he was talking to Kel. "My fiancée. I know I'm young, but we're to get married when we turn twenty and I turned nineteen last month. I do miss her so."  
  
Kel smiled. "That's wonderful, Damon. It's good to go back to someone who loves you."  
  
He patted his horse on the neck. It whinnied softly. "Do you have someone to go back to?" Damon asked, not looking directly at her.  
  
Kel sighed a deep sigh. Did she? There was no one she knew that she was sure would be there for her. "I don't know, Damon. I haven't been home in six years. I hope I will have my family to go back to, but you never know how far the ravages of war can spread."  
  
He nodded. He seemed to understand what she meant. He looked very sullen for a moment, worried almost.  
  
Kel smiled. "Don't worry, I do know the war hasn't reached Corus. Your lady friend will be fine."  
  
He looked up at her and grinned sheepishly. "Thank you, Lady Kel." He then fell back to join the other men.  
  
They feasted that night. All the food they had left over, save enough for breakfast and lunch the next day. It wasn't the best of food, beef jerky, oatmeal, stale bread. But it tasted good to men who had been on the road for so long. Kel ate her food pensively, thinking about home again. Her family. She hadn't even thought about that. Would her brothers, her brother in laws, her cousins, still be there? Would they still have Mindelan as a home? She was being silly, she decided. Mindelan was no where near the Scanran border. It was closer to Corus, no where near any of the towns that got attacked.  
  
She felt her breathing return to normal.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Corus. It sounded beautiful in her mouth. Corus. She closed her eyes and she could see it. The dusty streets, the bright grass by the palace, the wonderful practice courts. Corus. She could smell the sweet scent. The scent of the markets; the beef, the venison, the rabbit and pigs, the fish.  
  
She opened her eyes and looked up. The sun was setting, turning the sky a beautiful pinkish gold. There was a hill in front of her. She felt her heart beat faster when she realized that when she crested that hill, she would be able to see Corus.  
  
She reached the top of the hill, and it took her breath away. There, to the south of her, was Corus. She could see the Palace, high above everything else. The sun shone brightly on the city, and it seemed to sparkle, like every mirror in the city was pointed towards her.  
  
She turned back to her men. "Are everyone's belonging secure? Nothing is going to fly away?"  
  
Everyone checked their bags, and a moment later, she heard a resounding "ready, sir!" She smiled. Old habits never die.  
  
"Alright. Prepare to gallop!" And just as she came to the long, generous downwards slope, she galloped. It was a difficult gallop for the tent and pack on Hoshi and Peachblossom, but it was fast enough. By the time the sun reached the horizon, the were at the city limits.  
  
When she was young, there had been no wall. The start of it, when the king knew war was afoot. But it had never been completed. She had heard of it, true, that it had been finished almost four years ago. It looked strange and intimidating with all the gates closed, like a fortress, or a prison.  
  
"Oy!" A guard called from the wall. "Who goes there?"  
  
Kel stood up in her stirrups. "Keladry of Mindelan, and some of the men from Tagnot!" She called back up.  
  
The man disappeared. She heard a voice carry over the wall: "Aye! Open the gate!"  
  
The great wooden gate opened slowly. As if by magic, the city was revealed. It was just as she'd remembered it. She could see the market from the gate. Fish mongers, wrapping up their now rotting fish, warm and smelly from being out all day. Butchers, washing the blood off of their stalls, cleaning them for the night, so that when they came back for market day the next week, they would be ready. Vegetable stalls, packing their potatoes and carrots carefully, so not to bruise the more delicate foods.  
  
Kel had rarely shopped at the market. She lived at the palace, so they were given foods, but the few times she had been shopping in Corus, she found she preferred the produce from the stores. She didn't always trust the food from the market, if she did love walking through it.  
  
She could not see the palace, only the very tip of Balor's needle above the city. It was too far away.  
  
She rode into the city, and a wave of relief swept over her. She was home, and she didn't have to worry about anything any more.  
  
Except, she thought as she groomed Hoshi when she got to the stables, my friends. What will the think? Are they still my friends? Again, she shook the thoughts off. She quickly finished brushing the horses, and picked up Jump. Who seemed to be having a battle with a wasp. She tossed him back on the ground when she got outside. It was dark. She could barely see anything, but she could see the palace, and the area near it, because it was very well lit. She trekked up the hill with her pack on her back, Jump walking beside her now.  
  
She pushed open the door and sighed. It was beautiful, just as she had remembered it. She realized then that she had no where to sleep. Why would there be a room for her? She had been away for so long. She went to the knights chambers and found the clerk at the entrance to the hallway.  
  
"Good evening, Lady Kel. Your room is ready, if you wish to occupy it."  
  
Kel raised her eyebrows. "Thank you." She wasn't expecting it to be ready for her.  
  
"Excuse me," she said on a whim, "can you tell me what other knights are back? Only the ones from my year or the year below, please."  
  
The man scanned over the lists and read out a few names. Not many she knew, but she heard Merric and Neal in it. She felt her heart flutter at there names. It had all seemed like a dream, now finally coming true. She was going to see her friends. She really was.  
  
She thanked the man, and jogged down the hall to her room, where she immediately dropped her pack. She looked down at herself. "I can't go to see them like this." She muttered.  
  
She ran out to find a maid to fill her bath tub. Fifteen minutes later, she was bathing in the hot water. She sighed. She hadn't had a proper bath, with hot water in such a long time. But she didn't have time for dilly dallying. She quickly washed and stepped out of the tub, and dressed herself in a tunic and breeches, which she had left in her room. She loved that about the palace. Knights always had their own rooms, unless they chose to give them up. Then, they would be set up in a guest room whenever they came. But Kel loved it. She had a closet filled with clean tunics and breeches, and even a few old dressed, even if they were horribly out of date, and probably too small.  
  
She was just brushing her hair when she heard a knock at the door. "Come in." She said.  
  
She closed her eyes for a moment. Her hair was long enough that it flicked into her eyes as she brushed it.  
  
"Hello, Kel." A voice said.  
  
Kel opened her eyes. She was doubled over, trying to brush her hair. She was looking at the upside down image of her best friend.  
  
"Neal!" She said. She brought her head back up and grinned.  
  
He smiled. "How was Tagnot?"  
  
Kel waved her hand. "That doesn't matter!" She leapt forward and gave him a hug. "I've missed you so much!" She couldn't help it. She felt tears well up in her eyes.  
  
Neal pushed her away softly. "What is this? Long hair, hugging, crying, who are you and what have you done with Keladry?"  
  
She shook her head. It was true, she was crying now. "I'm sorry," she said, sitting down on her bed. "it's just a lot." Neal sat down beside her. She wiped her eyes, and didn't feel any more tears come, thankfully. "I've missed you all so much. It was so hard! There was no one I knew, and I didn't seem to connect with very many people, and I missed my friends so much!"  
  
Neal smiled. "I know how you feel. I missed everyone too!" He shot her a nasty grin. "I had Merric with me. We had some fun."  
  
Kel raised her eyebrows. "What did you do? What havoc did you wreak?"  
  
He shrugged. "Just your normal, every day havoc. Nothing fancy."  
  
Kel smiled and gave him another hug. "I'm glad to be back." She chuckled self consciously. "I was afraid you wouldn't want to be my friend any more."  
  
Neal smiled and put his arm around her. "Now why on earth would you feel that way? What kind of an idiot are you, feeling exactly the way I did?"  
  
Kel looked up at him. She just shook her head, laughing. She suddenly felt very tired. Like she had seen her friend, she was ready to go to sleep.  
  
"I have to go to sleep, Neal." She said, yawning.  
  
He grinned. "You're just a wimp, Mindelan." But he stood up and walked to the door. "I'll see you at breakfast."  
  
Kel nodded. "Good night." She said, stifling another yawn. As soon as he was gone, she got changed, and fell asleep instantly.  
  
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Well, there it is. And it's going to be so good!  
  
Holly: Well, I have an excuse. I started out with a very different number of men, but I changed it, so I had to go back and change every number. The part when they were fighting: no excuse for that. I just completely missed it. Thank you. My excuse is that it was late and I was very tired. I'm glad you like the writing. That's really what I'm concentrating on in this story. My other stories are based entirely around dialogue, but I'm trying to make this story almost dialogue free. I've got the descriptions down pat, but I need to work on metaphors and all those stylistic elements. Man, I suck at writing.  
  
PsychoLioness13: thanks, I was very proud of it...  
  
Miliko01: thanks!  
  
Ossini: what does the bump mean?  
  
Well, that's all for now. Please review! I got four in one night- if I get that every night, I'll have a hundred in 25 days! Come on, people, lets try for twenty! That's five reviews a day, you can do it!  
  
-unolimbo 


	3. Conversations

Kel woke early the next morning. She had forgotten to close her shutters, and the warm sunlight shone in her eyes in the early hours. She lifted her head. Jump was lying, sprawled across her feet, the sparrows settled on the folds of her blanket. She sighed. "I guess there's no getting up yet." She muttered. Jump growled in his sleep.  
  
An hour later, Kel kicked off the animals. "I'm sorry, I have to get up!" She said to Jump, who whimpered. Kel sighed and picked him up. "You can stay here, don't worry!" She kissed him and placed him in the warm spot where she had lay.  
  
She quickly dressed and went downstairs. She was glad that she didn't have to wear a pages uniform any more. She still remembered how uncomfortable it was in the late spring; the heavy tunic hanging on her shoulders, the breeches sticking both to her and her chair in lessons. She was glad she wore a linen tunic now. It was also more feminine, yellow and bright, and though she didn't like wearing dresses, she still liked people to know she was a girl.  
  
She quietly closed the door behind her, and walked down the hall to the mess hall. When she got there, she saw something she did not expect. The door to the mess hall was open, and she could see Neal sitting with someone. Kel stopped in her tracks. He was sitting with a man, a few years older than Kel herself, with black curly hair, and brilliant blue eyes. She had no idea he had come to the palace. She found herself unable to move.  
  
Dom looked up and saw her standing there. She thought of how silly she must look to him, but she still couldn't move. He smiled at her, said something to Neal, who was facing the other way, and got up.  
  
Kel blushed and looked down. Stone, she thought. She was stone.  
  
She could move now, but now she didn't want to. Dom walked up to her, and Kel smiled at him. She didn't think it was possible, but she still got butterflies in her stomach.  
  
Dom didn't say anything. He turned red and looked at the floor. "Hi" He muttered after a moment.  
  
Kel's mouth fell open. He was nervous too! She thought she was being so silly, thinking her friends wouldn't want to see her, and so far, both the people she had seen had felt the same way. She wanted to talk to him, to catch up, but she didn't want to stand at the door to the mess hall where she knew Neal would soon turn and see her.  
  
"Do you want to go to the stables?" She asked, her voice sounding unnaturally high.  
  
Dom nodded. They walked in silence towards the stables. Kel was almost scared of talking to him, just because she hadn't seen him in so long. She wondered if he was feeling the same way.  
  
It was such a beautiful day that the stables were buzzing. So many knights had come back to the palace in the past few days, that when it was so beautiful, they all wanted to go for a ride.  
  
Kel sent a sudden hatred for all of them. "Shall we go up to the loft?" She said. As soon as she did, she realized that was a bad idea. It was almost too secluded, to away from anything.  
  
But Dom nodded. "Sure." He said, blushing as much as Kel was.  
  
Kel realized how silly she was being. They were only going to talk, to catch up! There was nothing wrong with that. She was stone, she showed nothing.  
  
Kel sighed. It had been such a long time since she had been to the Yamani Islands. She needed to be stone so much when she was at Tagnot, but she still felt it did nothing. She was always sure that people could see through it now.  
  
They climbed up to the loft and sat by the window, where it was more open. "So, Dom, where were you for the war? Did you come home at all?"  
  
He nodded. "I was stationed at Steadfast, and I was on leave a little while after I last saw you, for eight months. I spent a lot of time at parties with my family, because no one else was here. I've told you of them before. The ones where she tries to set me up with different court ladies."  
  
Kel smiled. She knew what he was talking about; she had, on the rare occasion, had to deal with prying relatives talking of her marriage.  
  
"Well, for the first time, it worked."  
  
Kel was not prepared for that. "C-con-g-gratulations." She stuttered and smiled, but inside, she was crying. He couldn't be in love!  
  
"Well, after eight months, I went back to Steadfast, and got injured a year in." He unbuttoned the top of his shirt and pulled it to the side so that Kel could see a white scar on his shoulder. "An arrow."  
  
Kel saw that it had been a serious wound at some point; it was raised and very white, and quite large. "How is that so big?"  
  
He smiled. "Let me finish. I came home for almost two months while my wound healed. After that I went back to Steadfast and promptly got a sword in my shoulder."  
  
Kel almost laughed. "Oh, you poor thing." She said. She was happy that he was okay, but there was one thought still fresh in her head: Dom, in love. With someone else.  
  
"Well, I got stabbed in almost exactly the same place that I got the arrow, and it took almost six months to heal. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but the healer said something about it being magicked, that's why it took so long. Anyway, by this time, it was almost three years in. And Mia- that is the girl I met- and I, well, when I was back the first time, we- we got engaged."  
  
Kel's mouth fell open. She wasn't just crying inside now- she knew the tears were going to come any second. She stood up before it could happen. "You know what, I have to- I have to go- umm, I'll talk to you later." She turned and climbed down the ladder.  
  
She ran back to her room, jogging, to keep herself from crying. She made it to her room before the tears came. It was so unlike her! This was the second time she had cried in two days, she hadn't cried in years before that. She always just put on her Yamani mask, and that was it. She had to go back to the Yamani Islands soon to get it back.  
  
She lay down on her bed and just cried. After a while, there was a knock on the door. She wiped her eyes as well as she could and opened it a crack.  
  
Dom was standing there. "Kel, I was looking all over for you! What's wrong?" He looked worried.  
  
Kel shook her head. "I'm fine, don't worry about me." She tried to close the door, but Dom stuck his foot in before she could, and squeezed his way in.  
  
He smiled weakly. "Sorry, but I know that's not true."  
  
Kel chuckled softly and wiped her eyes. She sat down on the bed. "I guess you're right."  
  
Dom sat down beside her and looked at the floor. "I guess it has something to do with me saying that I was engaged."  
  
Kel looked up at him. "Was?"  
  
Dom nodded. "I was, but when I came back the second time, I got to spend more time with Mia- and I realized I didn't want to marry her. She seemed to relax when she was with me, and I didn't like her when she relaxed. I thought she still seemed conceited and rude, and we ended up not having that much in common."  
  
Kel nodded. She didn't say anything about it, but this time, she was laughing inside.  
  
"I realized I wanted to be with someone who was fun and active, and someone who shared my love of things like jousting and sword fighting and just general not girl stuff." He laughed. "You know what I mean?"  
  
Kel grinned. "I understand exactly."  
  
Dom looked down. He was still nervous, Kel could tell. "Was I way too obvious?" He asked quietly, blushing.  
  
Kel blushed herself. "We'll see, Dom. We'll see." She kissed him quickly on the check and bounced up. She had no idea why she hadn't just kissed him and gotten over with it! "Now, I'm quite hungry, I'm going to have some breakfast."  
  
Before Dom could answer, Kel had bounced out of the room. She slowed as she turned into the next hallway. She had changed so much! When she was having a romance with Cleon so many years before, everything happened so quickly, and in such a flurry of passion. But with Dom, it seemed so much more relaxed.  
  
She grabbed a quick breakfast and went to the practice courts. She thought she had come back to Corus to relax. It turns out, she had less to worry about at war.  
  
She took out her cross bow and practiced shooting. Her first shot was a bulls-eye. As was her second, though her third was a little off centre. She shot her entire quiver. They were all within the centre two circles of the target.  
  
"You're getting worse!" Someone said, making Kel jump.  
  
She turned around. Raoul was leaning on the fence watching her. "My lord, you scared me!" She said. "I should have known you would make your entrance like that. You are a bad man, you know."  
  
Raoul roared. "You still remember that? Mithros, that was what, ten years ago?"  
  
Kel smiled and walked over to him. "Twelve, from when I first said it." It was shocking how much Lord Raoul had changed in six years. True, he still had black eyes that sparked with electricity, and he was still tall and muscular, but there were lines on his face that hadn't been there before, and there were many silver hairs mixed in with the black. He had aged gracefully, and still did not look his years.  
  
He opened his arms. "I'll give you a hug, if you promise to stop calling me 'my lord.'" He said, cocking his head to the side.  
  
Kel smiled. "Of course, my lord." But before he could react and stop her, she had hugged him.  
  
He groaned as she grabbed him in a bear hug. Kel laughed. "How is dear Buri?" She asked.  
  
His smile vanished. "We lost her." He said. Kel put a hand to her mouth and gasped. "It's true he said, lifting his head slightly. "Alanna and I, we were at a banquet yesterday, and I put her down somewhere, and now I can't find her!"  
  
Kel growled. "You will pay for that."  
  
Raoul laughed. "I know, I know. And it's probably horribly inconsiderate of me, because it is equally likely that we are to find a friend dead as alive."  
  
Kel solemnly nodded. They paused for a moment, as if to have a private acknowledgement of the dead. "Well," Raoul said smiling, "why don't we have a tilt, just to make ourselves feel better?"  
  
Kel laughed in disbelief. "With all due respect, my lord, now that I don't have to obey your orders, I won't." She waved and turned up the hill back towards the castle.  
  
Raoul shook his head, jogging to catch up with her. "Have you talked to Dom yet?" He asked in all seriousness.  
  
Kel looked at the ground, trying to conceal a smile. "I guessed as much." Raoul said, smiling. "He thought about you a lot, you know."  
  
Kel looked up. "Really?"  
  
Raoul nodded. "I thought you should know. After he came back from his second injury, it was obvious something was wrong, but it took me a while to find out what it was. I finally wormed it out of him. He told me- now listen carefully to this-" he said, pointing at her sternly. Kel nodded obediently. "he told me that the girl he was to marry was not what he wanted. He wanted a Lady Knight. And Kel-" he added, "he decided this almost three years ago now, if not more."  
  
Kel smiled, still blushing. "What ever happened to the rule of the Own not being able to marry?"  
  
Raoul shrugged. "Rules can be bent. Besides, I made them. Dom is practically a knight, he's as good a fighter as some of them, and just as smart as any. He knows what is best for himself."  
  
Kel smiled. "I really should be going. I heard that others were coming in today, and I haven't even seen Merric yet."  
  
Raoul laughed. "Fine," he said, as Kel walked more quickly away from him, "but you can't run forever! He'll catch up with you sometime, you know!"  
  
Kel turned and walked backwards up to the door. "Not if I keep to steps ahead!"  
  
"Two steps ahead of who?"  
  
Kel almost screamed. Raoul, still on the grass, a bit away, was doubled over, laughing. Kel went bright red. Dom was, or, had been, standing directly behind her. Of course, when she jumped, she had hit him in the nose. "Gods, don't do that!" She said, laughing. "Are you all right?"  
  
He nodded, making faces. "I'll live. Somehow." He added.  
  
"Oh, you will." Kel said. She leaned into his ear. "I know," she whispered, "all of your deepest, darkest secrets."  
  
She pulled back, and as Dom went beet red, she winked and turned to run up the stairs.  
  
Maybe things would be all right.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I actually really like this chapter. It shows a lot of Kel's emotional weakness, even if it's just her weakness in relationships, if nothing else.  
  
Wow, I am so proud of you guys. I asked for what, five reviews a day? It's been three days, and I have 25 already. You guys rock! Keep this up, and by the time it catches up with my other stories, (chapter wise) it will have, let me see...after sixteen chapters, I should be at about 200 reviews. Sweet, even if I doubt I'll get that many.  
  
Wake-Robin: true, true. Corus is good. Yay no war.  
  
Rowana Silvakisma: What were you expecting, I wonder? I'm glad you think it's original.  
  
Rubber Duck: ah semantics. It doesn't matter that much to my story, so I'm not going to bother changing it.  
  
Legofiance: Thanks... well, here's Dom for you! I'm glad you like my writing. I really hated it on this chapter, it was really sloppy, but I was really happy with the content, so, what are you going to do. It's a double edged sword.  
  
Hydrangea: Thanks! I'm hearing a lot about potential, and I'm liking it!  
  
Lizai: Not completely dialogue free, of course. You would like this chapter, the part with Raoul is entirely dialogue. Nothing else, a lot like my regular writing, which I was trying to get away from. If you like dialogue, you might like my other story, Good Things Come to Those Who Wait. Sorry about the shameless advertising (it's true, I have no shame what so ever), but it's true. It's a Kel/Do story, and it's mostly dialogue. I'm assuming you haven't read it, because your name doesn't look familiar, meaning you probably haven't reviewed (as far as I know).  
  
AJ 4EVA: sure you're welcome.  
  
Rootless Californian: I'm glad you think it's so good... I've had a few complaints that Kel is a bit too emotional, but come on, she's still a girl, and she's still a person! Just tell yourself it's PMS if you don't like it.  
  
ShnazzySpazzy: great name! Thanks, I try to make it realistic....do you notice the lack of immortals? Actually, that's just because I haven't actually read the books in about two years, and I put in characters and places completely by memory from reading the books twice two years ago.  
  
Anon: I'm assuming that means anonymous? I don't know what OOC emans, I don't know what OCs are, I don't know what mawkish means (vaguely), I don't know what stoical means (also vaguely). But other than that, I'm glad you like it. I think?  
  
Karr: Nope. It's actually my fifth, though I have two, I believe, that I haven't put on the computer (one I lost the book it was in...wah!). Two Harry Potter fics, HP and the Second War (finished) and HP and the Rebuilding of the Magical World. I have two other TP fics, Good Things Come to Those Who Wait (though I possibly will change the name to Kraken, but I doubt it...I might have a new story called that...I just love it!), and After the Deed, which I haven't updated in a really long time (oops...it's in my book, so I'm not being creative, just copying, which I haven't been in the mood for in a really long time). WOOT WOOT FOR SHAMELESS ADVERTISING!  
  
Miliko01: I can never actually remember what mary sue is, so I don't care that much. Sure I'll read it, but I have a really short attention span, and the font on this site is hard on the eyes, for some reason... so bear with me...it may take a while. Me fail English? That's unpossible! See, I'm not one with the grammer goings on. Woah, I'm going to give up while I'm ahead- err, behind- err, in the middle.  
  
Pinky: Cheesy is good...what exactly is a bold story? I'm glad you thought my story was not drunk. That makes me happy. Hee hee...sober.  
  
Kelly Masbolle: OMG, yes, you were only the first story that I reviewed! I loved that story, I checked back soooooo often, but it was never updated, and I was so so so so sad! Wah, is it still there? Please say it is! Well, anywhoo, I'm glad you like it. Wait wait wait... I know you're the person I'm looking for, but I can't find the story in your thing....wah! help me! Wah! I'm sure it was you! WAHHHHH!  
  
Lady Wolfspeaker: Well, like I said before, she is a girl, and she is a person! You try not crying when you don't see your best friend for six years! Most people I know cry that much after 9 months...  
  
Ossini: I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Please help. I'm so lost. Movies? Banging cutlery? The hell? I know this is in response to something I said, but what?  
  
PsychoLioness13: Absolutely...anything for one of my most loyal reviewers...there are quite a few of you now, it makes me happy!  
  
Lady of Masbolle: thanks, I'm glad it does...that's always good.  
  
Ophelia-waterhouse: s'ok, I do the same thing all the time. Just with out the too-witing.  
  
Thanks to everyone, you've all collectively made my day! Sorry I went overboard on the responses...I was having fun!  
  
-unolimbo 


	4. Romance

Kel knocked on Merric's room first. He wasn't there, so she checked Neal's room. He was there, along with a few of their old friends, none of whom Kel had seen in years, most even longer than six.  
  
"Ah, Kel! I was wondering when you would show up. I decided to have a few people over, now that we're all back."  
  
Kel shook her head, smiling. Neal would do that. She had been planning on saying hello to Merric quickly and then going to talk to Lalasa. She needed some dresses anyway, and she still hadn't been to see her old maid.  
  
Though she hadn't seen her, Kel knew that Lalasa was doing very well. Her business had blossomed, forcing her to expand to a larger location in an even better part of Corus, and she became the Queens personal tailor. She went to Lalasa for everything, and it did wonders for the young woman's career. She was now almost considered wealthy, even though she was only a commoner.  
  
Kel's thoughts were pushed to the back of her head as she was bombarded by old friends. She put on a smile and dealt with it. It wasn't where she wanted to be, but she stayed anyway.  
  
After an hour, everyone was having fun, and Kel had said hello to everyone. She walked over to Neal. "I'm sorry, Neal. But I need to go see Lalasa. I'll see you later, all right?"  
  
Neal looked her in the eye. "All right, what's wrong?"  
  
Kel shrugged. "Nothing's wrong. What would be?"  
  
Neal lifted her chin with his hand, looking her over. Kel couldn't help but smile. Even after not seeing her for six years, he still knew her well enough to see. "Well, there's nothing wrong. You were telling the truth about that."  
  
She nodded. "I told you so."  
  
He grinned. "So what happened?"  
  
Kel frowned. "I don't like your attitude, Meathead." She glared at him. "How did you know that?"  
  
He shrugged. "I thought you were upset, because you had your Yamani lump face on. But you're actually happy, aren't you? And it must be something big, because otherwise you wouldn't hide it."  
  
Kel rolled her eyes. It wasn't fair, why could he read her so well? She could never do that, but Neal understood her so easily. "I'm not going to tell you now." She said, "Later, okay?"  
  
He nodded. "Fine. But you have to tell me!"  
  
Kel hugged him. "Later, don't worry."  
  
She said goodbye to everyone and went out to find Lalasa. It was still early, barely the afternoon, and she hoped that Lalasa's shop wouldn't be too busy. She walked down the busy city street towards the shop, before she stopped in her tracks. She didn't know exactly where Lalasa's new location was. She wandered around for a while, asking people for directions, finally finding it much closer to the palace than she had expected.  
  
"Good Morning, my lady. How may I help you?" A young girl came up to her as she came in the door.  
  
Kel smiled. "Yes, I'm here to see Lalasa."  
  
The young girl looked nervous. "Oh dear, I'm sorry, but she's in a fitting with the queen. And you must make an appointment if you want to see Miss Isran if you wish to have a fitting with her personally."  
  
Kel raised an eyebrow. "Is she in the building?" She asked.  
  
The girl nodded. "Yes, but I'm afraid she can't see you right now. If you like, one of our other seamstresses could help you."  
  
Kel smiled. "No, I think I will talk to her now. Where is she?"  
  
The girl looked from side to side, wringing her hands. Kel reached out and held her arm. "It's all right. You won't get in trouble, I promise. Can you just tell me where she is, please?"  
  
The girl sighed. "She's in the first fitting room."  
  
Kel smiled. "All right. Thank you." She gave the girl a coin and walked back to the fitting rooms. She found the first fitting room and knocked on the door.  
  
"I'm busy." Lalasa's voice came through the door.  
  
Kel opened the door a crack, in case Thayet wasn't decent. She glanced in, and saw that she was dressed in a beautiful green dress with a laced bodice. Kel opened the door and stepped in.  
  
"Hello, Lalasa." She said.  
  
The girl spun around and screamed. "Lady Kel!" She said, leaping on Kel and giving her a big hug. "Goddess, how are you?" She realized that she was supposed to be working and blushed. "I'm sorry your majesty." She said to the queen, who smiled.  
  
"Don't worry. I don't mind if Kel stays. I haven't seen her in a while either." Thayet said. "So, hoe have you been, Kel?" She asked.  
  
Kel smiled. "Not bad, but I'm much better now that I'm back."  
  
Thayet nodded. "You should be happy to hear, I have been training very hard with the glaive. Yuki has been training me, but she is not good enough any more. We're at about the same skill level, now that I've been doing it for so long. Maybe I could get someone from Yamani to come over as my teacher." She smiled at the idea, knowing that the king would not approve. Kel looked at the queen. She had aged beautifully, her face full of laugh lines when she smiled. Her hair was graying slightly, noticeably, but not drastically. She still looked as beautiful as ever.  
  
Lalasa smiled at Kel. "What can I do for you, Kel? You wouldn't come all the way out here just to say hello."  
  
Kel smiled. "I hate to say it, but it's true. I need new breeches and blouses, some tunics, and a dress or two."  
  
Lalasa raised an eyebrow. "A special occasion, I presume?" She asked.  
  
Kel shook her head. "No, I just would like to have a dress, just in case I need one. Since the war is over, I was assuming there would be some balls some time soon." She didn't understand why everyone thought she hated dresses so. She didn't like wearing them all the time because they were large and cumbersome, but she still loved to look beautiful for special occasions.  
  
Thayet smiled. "I know how you feel, Kel. Everyone assumes you will always hate dresses, just as they assume I always love them. If I showed up in breeches to any public event, I would be a shame to the royal family, because it is not what is expected of me."  
  
Kel felt slightly comforted by the queens words. She was royalty, and she felt the same way.  
  
"Umm, Lalasa... the girl in the store said that I needed an appointment. Is that true?"  
  
Lalasa laughed. "Of course not! I told you, you are always welcome in my store. You deserve anything you want from me."  
  
Kel smiled. "Thank you."  
  
Lalasa looked up to Thayet, who looked confused. "Kel helped me get my store started with the money from Joren. Without her, I would not have any of the success I have today."  
  
Thayet smiled. "That sounds like Kel." She said quietly.  
  
Kel stayed and waited for Lalasa. After Thayet left, with Kel's promise that she would come to glaive practice the next morning, Lalasa started on a dress for Kel.  
  
"Don't you think I could just get a dress from the shop instead of having to stand here the whole time?"  
  
Lalasa laughed. "Absolutely not. There are more than one of each dress, and I want them to fit you perfectly. I won't have you wearing some common, ill- fitting dress."  
  
Kel smiled. "You make those dresses sound like they're horrible. I saw some of them in the window, they are still beautiful."  
  
Lalasa looked her in the eye. "I didn't make any of them." Kel raised an eyebrow. "It's true," Lalasa said, "I teach the girls who work here how to sew, and they work for me. Some of them are doing wonderfully." She looked nervous. "Actually, I'm scared that they are going to be better than me."  
  
Kel laughed. "Well, I doubt they are, but if they happen to become better than you, you will still be able to get a job with Thayet." She smiled. "And don't worry. You're still the best there is."  
  
Almost three hours later, Kel stepped off of the stool pinned and primped, in a toght bodice and a large flowing skirt.  
  
"Well?" Lalasa asked.  
  
Kel smiled. "I love it."  
  
Lalasa stepped back and admired her work. "It won't look exactly like this. This is just a muslin sample, I still need to make the actual dress. What colour would you like?"  
  
Kel shrugged, or, attempted to, but she ended up poking herself with pins. "Surprise me." She said, wincing.  
  
Lalasa sighed. "And the material?"  
  
Kel shrugged. "I don't know. Something light, summery."  
  
Lalasa smiled. "I know exactly what I will do. You said you wanted another dress?"  
  
Kel nodded. "Nothing as fancy. Just a nice simple dress to wear on special occasions that are not balls."  
  
Lalasa nodded. "I have your measurements now, I will put both dresses in your room when I'm done." She said as Kel got changed.  
  
Kel hugged her old maid. "I missed you, Lalasa." She said. "I will see you soon, all right?"  
  
The girl nodded. Kel realized at that moment that Lalasa was no longer a girl. She was a woman, almost thirty. She was older than Kel, though not by much, but she still looked the same to Kel.  
  
"Lalasa..." Kel said, "are you married?"  
  
Lalasa blushed. "No, Lady Kel. A number of customers have frowned upon a commoner like me not marrying, but her majesty said not to compromise for anyone. Unless I truly love a man, she said, and he promises not to take any of my career or money from me, and I know I can trust him, I should not marry. I have taken her advice, and I could not be happier. I am one of the richest dressmakers in Corus now, and probably the most fashionable. Her majesty said that if she had the power, she would make me a noble, because she said I have more power in Tortall than most nobles."  
  
Kel raised an eyebrow, and Lalasa smiled. "That's what I said, but her majesty said that I have power over almost all of the women in the city's styles, and that is power. I am making their decisions for them."  
  
Kel laughed. "I can see you doing that."  
  
She said goodbye again and walked to the door. "Oh, Lady Kel!" Lalasa said. Kel turned back to her, holding the door open with one hand. "What about you? Has Dom talked to you yet?"  
  
Kel flushed horribly. "How do you know about that?" She demanded.  
  
Lalasa winked. "He was in here often the last time he was here, asking me questions about you. We became friends. He's very nice. Very good for you." She said lightly, picking up the scraps of fabric from the floor.  
  
Kel just rolled her eyes and left.  
  
She was right about the balls. That night, a ball was announced for the next day. Kel groaned. She didn't mind balls that much, but things were a little awkward with her and Dom, having not seen each other in such a long time. And Kel didn't want to go to the ball with anyone else.  
  
She sat down at a table beside Raoul. "Good evening, Lady Knight." He said. Kel frowned. She hated that. Raoul just grinned. "You know what the best part about being married is?" He said.  
  
Kel shrugged. "You don't have to worry about your having to go the balls with court women you're not interested in?"  
  
Raoul's face fell. "How did you know?"  
  
Kel smiled. He was a sweet man, a wonderful knight master, and a great fighter, but he was predictable quite often. He had always been that way. Even with being away from him so long, Kel still knew that he would be happy to not have to court ladies. "I know you still don't want to go to the ball." She said.  
  
He sighed. "It's true. I would rather be just with my friends."  
  
Kel took a bite of her roll. "It's not so bad. It can be a big party with your friends. It all depends on what you let it be. Talk to your friends. If you surround yourself with them, no one else will try to talk to you."  
  
Raoul nodded, thinking about it. Kel knew she was right, and after a moment, he sat forward again. He banged his fist on the table. "Damn it, Keladry, why are you constantly correct?"  
  
Kel just rolled her eyes and went back to her food.  
  
A few minutes later, Dom and Neal walked in together, arguing, no less. "That's not true." Neal said, red in the face.  
  
Dom shook his head, still calm. "It is. There is no doubt about it."  
  
Kel turned around to look at them. "there is no doubt about what?"  
  
Dom looked back at Neal for a second, then grinned at Kel. "Neal doesn't seem to agree that he is a wimp."  
  
Kel raised an eyebrow as Neal protested. "It's not true. Just because I happen to be in love..."  
  
Dom shook his head. "I don't know of any other person who writes poetry." He grinned. "Not even the girls."  
  
Neal frowned, obviously not enjoying himself. "Look, I haven't done it very many times, okay?"  
  
Kel smiled. "You also used to have crushes on every girl imaginable. I remember in my first year, when you were in love with Daine."  
  
Neal flushed. "Leave me alone." He muttered.  
  
Kel smiled. Neal was constantly ragged on by his cousin, but Kel rarely minded. She enjoyed it, in fact.  
  
Kel quickly finished her meal and rose. Dom grabbed her wrist lightly, making her heart jump. "Where do you think you're going? Just when everyone is having a good time, you leave?"  
  
Kel smiled. "I have to do some training tonight. I haven't done much today. And I need to feed my animals."  
  
Everyone seemed to think this a perfectly reasonable response, and they all went back to their conversations. Kel sighed and walked to the door. Just when she had grasped the large brass handles in her hands and pulled them open, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Dom standing behind her.  
  
She felt her heart jump again. She didn't understand what she was doing. Ever since she had talked to Dom the first time the day before, she had felt her heart flutter every time she thought about him. Now that he was with her, it was full out jumping.  
  
"Are you all right?" Dom asked her, his grip tightening comfortably on her shoulder.  
  
She shook her head slightly, shaking out the thoughts. "I'm fine," she smiled, "just thinking."  
  
He nodded. "Would you like to walk?"  
  
She nodded slowly.  
  
Neither of them said anything. Kel wasn't sure if their silence was comfortable or not, but it didn't matter. She didn't know what to say anyway. She decided to focus her energy on looking at the flowers in the garden they were walking in. It really was beautiful, one of the places Kel rarely found time to enjoy, let alone see at all.  
  
There was a large circle of gravel with a fountain decorated with the muses on it, and surrounding the fine grey gravel was three rings of flowers; not neatly arranged like some of the other gardens, but beds of wildflowers. Daisies and milkweed, Lady's Slippers and Indian Pipes, all cluttered together, but kept in the perfect border of the gravel.  
  
It was exactly what Kel felt inside. She looked so serene on the outside, with her Yamani lump face and her straight fighting stance, but inside, she was a jumble of wild things all contained in a little circle that was her.  
  
She looked up at Dom, determined to get something out of the jumble. "Dom, I'm sorry I teased you yesterday." She looked down again. "It was rude of me."  
  
Dom shrugged. Kel could tell he didn't really know how to respond to that. "Was it true?"  
  
Kel blushed, hardly able to contain her smile. "Some of them."  
  
Dom sighed. "I guess I shouldn't bother trying to hide it then?" Kel shook her head. Before she could respond any other way, he kissed her. Kel felt her knees get weak as she stood there, wrapping her arms around him and almost hanging off of him. She had never felt anything like it in her life, not with Cleon, not with anything else. It wasn't a fit of passion that made him kiss her, it was love.  
  
Kel slowly pulled back from him and looked him in the eye. They both blushed and looked down in time. They silently walked over to a bench in front of them, under the fountain, holding hands. Kel sat down and leaned against Dom, feeling his breathing, his chest moving slowly up and down, wrapping herself in the warmth of his arms. He kissed her on the forehead.  
  
"I am sorry if I offended you." He said.  
  
Kel chuckled. He was just too polite. "Don't worry. I think I was hoping you would do that."  
  
He kissed her again. "Kel," he said slowly, "would you do me the honour of accompanying me to the ball tomorrow night?"  
  
Kel, still looking down, smiled. "I would love to." She said, feeling his face brush up against her forehead again. "Dom, as comfortable as this is, I really do need to go back to my room. It's getting late."  
  
He sat up, and Kel pulled herself up as well. She kissed him one last time, and they departed for their own rooms, not seeing the grin on the others faces, that would not disappear all night, no matter how long they tried.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yay chapter 4....I already have an idea for another story...I would use it with this story, but I want this one to be a happy ending, same with my other one, but I also want to write one that isn't. and maybe, some day, I will write a story that, shame of all shames, will not involve a romance with Dom! Though that may take a very long while to get to.  
  
Wake-Robin: Thanks. Don't worry, I already fixed it, no worries.  
  
Anon: that's what I try to do. In this story (I barely started it in this chapter- I'm very tired) I want to spend sections of the story digging deeper into different things. I will start with characters, digging into the underlayers of their being, working out how they tick, why they act they way they do, how they feel, and their relationships with Kel. Yay!Sweet. thanks for the great review! And I'm sorry it took so long, but I've been insanely bust this last while, and I mean insanely, and I haven't had much time to write. But come on, my chapters are long, be-otch! Kidding, kidding.  
  
Rootless Californian: thanks!  
  
Legofiance: As I mentioned before, it's already fixed. I very rarely actually go back and fix these things, but I knew I would get so much more crap for it, I decided it was worth it.  
  
Lady Wolfspeaker: I don't really have a response....  
  
Ossini: cool. I don't remember what I said, but I'll figure it out.  
  
SJ: Did I? that doesn't sound right, seeing as it is six years after she last saw her friends, which was after the end of Lady Knight. Either you read it wrong, or I wrote it wrong. I don't know exactly where I wrote it, so I'm too damn lazy to check. So, I say: I believe it was 28 I worked it out to. She's 28, for the time being, if I figure something out, I'll tell you.  
  
Anonymous: grr....stupid smart spell checking people... hate them so much... kidding! Thanks, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!  
  
Pinky: thank you...its going to be good, I've already decided...  
  
AJ 4EVA: Absolutely!  
  
Lioness33: Of course!  
  
Lady of Masbolle: I don't believe so, so thank you! He WAS! Read the frickin chapter! It really has absolutely nothing to do with the story. I think I had a dream about it or something, so I put it in.  
  
PsychoLioness13: Sweet! Thanks!  
  
Lizai: hee hee...now that I read that, I actually hate it, because it is really random. But it was part of the aforementioned dream.  
  
Tanydwr: thanks!  
  
Kore Yan: I shall indeed.  
  
Wow, there were lots of new reviewers in there! Thanks guys!  
  
-unolimbo 


	5. Chapter 5, eh?

Kel could barely get to sleep that night. She had never gone to a ball with a date before, and it had been almost seven years since she had worn a dress at all. It felt strange, the next day, when Lalasa helped her get into her dress. "Are you excited, Lady Kel?" Lalasa asked.  
  
Kel smiled. "Of course." She said. "It's been such a long time."  
  
In the middle of getting Kel's dress on, there was a knock on the door. Lalasa answered it, since Kel was still standing on a stool.  
  
"Good afternoon, Lalasa, is Keladry here?" A voice said.  
  
Lalasa said yes, and admitted a fair skinned, plump young Yamani woman. Neal's (still) betrothed, Yukimi.  
  
"Yuki!" Kel almost screamed. Ignoring the dress, Kel stepped off the stool and attempted to hobble over and give Yuki a hug. "Goddess, it's been such a long time! You have to tell me everything that you have done!" Kel was genuinely interested. She knew that Yuki had been in the Yamani islands for four years, having arrived back only weeks before Kel.  
  
Yuki smiled. "I had a wonderful time back home. I spoke to my parents, and they agreed to come to Tortall when the war is over for my wedding."  
  
Kel smiled. "That's true, are they coming soon?"  
  
Yuki nodded as Lalasa ushered Kel back onto the stool. "They agreed to come as soon as they received word that the war was over. They should be here in a month or two." She giggled. "I am so excited!"  
  
Kel saw Lalasa smile behind her dress. Yuki still acted like a little child when it came to her betrothal.  
  
"Kel, you have some explaining to do." Yuki said. Kel looked up at her Yamani friend questioningly. "Why on earth are you putting so much effort into a dress?"  
  
Lalasa poked her head out from behind Kel. "Excuse me, but I believe I was the one who put the effort in." She said coldly. Yuki looked slightly shocked until Lalasa smiled. "I was kidding."  
  
Yuki, after great assurance that Lalasa was, indeed, kidding, insisted on setting Kel's hair for her.  
  
"There really is not that much to do to it." Kel protested.  
  
Yuki smiled as she ran her hands through Kel's cropped, mousy brown hair. It was just below her chin, cut straight. Yuki spent what felt like hours pulling and prodding at Kel's head, but she deemed the final product worthwhile.  
  
Kel looked in the mirror. It was true; it was worth it. She had decided to wear the smaller dress, since Lalasa had insisted on giving her two ball dresses, the one with fewer petticoats. It took up less space, and Kel felt beautiful in it. She twirled in front of the mirror. Her dress went all the way to the floor, dragging at the bag, but only slightly. It was green, Kel's favourite colour. A sea green, almost, with thin straps that seemed to come out from underneath her arms, wrapping forward and backward, ending with a clasp behind her neck. Yuki had pulled back the hair from the front of her face, securing it at the back with a large pink flower pin.  
  
"It's perfect." She said. "I love it." She turned back to her friends. "I really have to start doing this myself. I can't rely on you two every time I have to go to a ball."  
  
Yuki grinned. "It's all right. Otherwise I have to spend the afternoon assuring Neal that he looks fine for a ball."  
  
Kel laughed and gave Yuki a hug goodbye. "Will you be at the ball?" She asked.  
  
Yuki nodded. "Of course." She said, leaving with a little wave.  
  
Lalasa gave Kel a quick hug and departed as well.  
  
Kel was left alone in her room to wait for dinner. At seven o'clock, Kel made her way down to the grand hall to meet Dom. He was there when she got there, but although his eyes passed directly over her, he barely hesitated as he passed her. Kel smiled. He didn't recognize her!  
  
He was looking on the other side of the hall when Kel walked up behind him. She quietly snuck up to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders.  
  
"Gods!" He said, jumping away from her. "Who- Kel?" He stared at her. Kel felt slightly uncomfortable with it, the fact that he didn't recognize her. He smiled. "Kel, you look beautiful." He said.  
  
Kel smiled and gave him a hug. "Thank you." She said. Dom held out his arm for her and led her in to the grand hall.  
  
"Kel, I would like to apologize." He said. She looked up at him. "I am sorry I did not recognize you. It's just, you look so different, and I haven't seen very much of you in such a long time that I got confused. You just look so beautiful." He finished, but realized what he had said and kept stuttering. "I mean, you look beautiful all the time, it's just- I- I mean-"  
  
Kel put her hand on his arm. She could feel the hard muscle underneath. She smiled. "I understand. You did not recognize me because I looked even more beautiful than my normally radiant self." She laughed. "Is that it?"  
  
Dom grinned. "Exactly." He said, as they sat down at the table.  
  
A few minutes later, the table was filled with other nobles, all friends of theirs. Kel didn't speak much to them, spending most of the meal talking with Dom.  
  
"So why didn't you decide to become a knight?" Kel asked at one point.  
  
Dom shrugged. "I didn't really have much initiative when I was younger. I didn't think I wanted to do it, but by the time I wanted to, it was too late."  
  
Kel sighed. 'That's horrible. But you can do it late. Neal did!"  
  
He smiled a crooked smile. "I was almost eighteen when I realized I wanted to. It's not so bad, really. I'm happy in the King's Own, even if I can't really move up any more."  
  
Kel nodded. "I can understand that, I guess. The feeling that it's too late for something."  
  
"So how did you decide you wanted to be a knight?" Dom asked.  
  
Kel smiled and told her story.  
  
* * * * *  
  
After the dinner, they proceeded to the ballroom to dance. "I hate this." Kel mumbled.  
  
Dom glanced at her. "Pardon?"  
  
Kel looked up at him. "What? Oh, I was just saying I hate dancing."  
  
Dom smiled. "No you don't. you just don't know how."  
  
Kel sighed. "Maybe, but that does not mean I am going to let you teach me." She laughed.  
  
Dom smiled as they walked in. Before Kel could do anything, Dom had placed his hand on her waist and held her other hand in his, and swept her onto the floor.  
  
"Stop it!" Kel said, pushing on his shoulder with her hand.  
  
He smiled and took a hold of that hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Don't push," he said, "just follow me. I know it's hard for you to do."  
  
Kel glared at him. "I need a new date."  
  
Dom laughed. "Maybe so. But then you would never learn how to dance." He led her around the room. "Loosen up," he said. "don't be so stiff. Let your body move with it, and let your feet guide you."  
  
Kel sighed with frustration. "It's not working!" She said, stepping on Dom's feet.  
  
He winced. "Pretend it's a glaive dance. Following me is part of the routine."  
  
Kel took a deep breath and tried it. They went once around the room without Kel stepping on Dom's feet. "There you go." He said. "that's perfect." He said when they got to the corner.  
  
Just as he did, Kel stepped on his feet and he tripped. "Ah!" He fell backwards into the wall. Kel laughed as he fell. He pushed against the wall and sprang back up at Kel. She almost fell over herself, but grabbed onto Dom's tunic, laughing.  
  
"I am so sorry!" She said, leaning on him, laughing. "I did not mean..." she gave up and just laughed. Dom glared at her for a moment, but gave up and laughed with her.  
  
They walked back to their friends, both out of breath from laughing, leaning on each other.  
  
Neal gave them both an appraising look. "What did you two do?"  
  
Kel and Dom glanced at each other, trying not to laugh. "Dom taught me how to dance." Kel said, bursting.  
  
Neal leaned forward. "Why is that funny? I don't get it!"  
  
Yuki leaned forward as well and put her hand on him, pulling him back. "Shh," she said. "they're fine, love."  
  
Kel laughed again. "I'm sorry." She said finally. "It was just really funny. I stepped on his feet and knocked him over, and then he knocked me over."  
  
Kel sat down beside Neal. "I think I need to go to sleep soon." She said.  
  
Neal rolled his eyes. "Can you not learn to relax?" He said. he touched her forehead. Instantly, Kel felt awake. "You'll still get tired, it just will take an hour or two extra."  
  
Kel smiled. "Thanks Neal." She said. She stood up. "Except that now I have energy. I can't just sit here any more!"  
  
Yuki frowned and hit Neal in the back of the head. "Good job, meathead." She said.  
  
Dom laughed. "Neal, you know it's a bad sign when your fiancée calls you that."  
  
Dom tried again to teach Kel how to dance. She was still miserable at it. Dom walked her back to her room afterward, both of them close to falling over from sleepiness and painful feet.  
  
Kel let Dom into her room and he collapsed on a chair next to her. "Gods, I think I had a bit too much to drink."  
  
Kel smiled. "I didn't even have that much. I don't even like spirits, you know. I hate that light-headed feeling. You know," she said, "the one I have right now." She laughed. "And I hate vomiting."  
  
Dom laughed. "You need to build up an immunity, Keladry! There's really nothing to it. I for one, am a tank. I can drink as much as I want, and I'm fine."  
  
Kel smirked. "Whatever you say. I'm going to sleep." She pushed herself up and stumbled over to her bed. "Goodnight." She said, falling asleep immediately.  
  
She woke up the next morning incredibly uncomfortable and feeling very sick. She sat up quickly- not a good idea. Her head spun, and she felt like she would vomit. She stood up to get changed and noticed something that was not right.  
  
Dom was still asleep in her chair. She rolled her eyes and walked over to him. She was about to shake him awake when she looked at him; he looked so serene. He was beautiful, really; his dark curls falling into his face, his mouth in a perfect straight line, surrounded by perfect skin covered in soft stubble.  
  
Kel sighed. "To perfect to touch, then." She muttered, walking behind her screen to change.  
  
She emerged a few minutes later in simple breeches and shirt. Dom was still asleep. Kel decided that it was time he woke up. She walked over to him and touched his face. "Dom." She whispered. "Dom, wake up."  
  
Dom jerked up. "I'm awake, what's wrong?" He smiled when he saw Kel. "Morning." he said, putting his head back down.  
  
Kel shook her head. "Oh no you don't, you have to get up and go to your own rooms." She said. "Come on." She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up. "You are not sleeping in here all day!" She led him into her bathroom to wash his face and wake up a bit. "Actually clean yourself up, will you?"  
  
He nodded, and a few minutes later, he came out. "Wonderful." Kel said. "Now off you go. You can't turn up to breakfast in your ball clothes. You need to get changed."  
  
He nodded and opened the door. He turned back to her, still standing in the door. He took her hand and lifted it up. "I had fun last night." He said.  
  
"So did I." Kel smiled. "But less alcohol next time."  
  
Dom laughed. "Deal."  
  
Kel gave him a hug. "Let's keep it simple." She said. "I liked that."  
  
Dom grinned and walked away. The thing Kel did not see was a fellow knight, one who did not appreciate the female knight working for the Crown, watching Dom leave her room first thing in the morning, still in his ball clothes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Well, it has been a while! Sorry it's been so long.  
  
Morsus: glad you like it...I don't normally like doing other people points of view because so little is known about all of the oter characters- Pierce did not go into too much detail, and I just would not know how to write them.  
  
Wake-Robin: Cute indeed!  
  
Terriah: thanks!  
  
Rubber Duck: well, he is a wimp. It's fair.  
  
Abbie54: there is nothing that says Dom was near 30. nothing at all. I am a firm believer that he is only a few years older than her. I talked about it in my other story. Check it out there.  
  
ShadowPirate: glad you think so!  
  
Rootless Californian: basically thank you and I agree. That's basically it.  
  
PsychoLioness13: I do that all the time. I know what you mean.  
  
Russetwolf713: sweet...and I'm your first one! Glad you like it! (and no French- I hate French.)  
  
Anonymous: w/e, I don't mind. Shh. Stop making me feel bad about my spelling mistakes. I have, like, three per story, at most. w/e.  
  
AJ 4EVA: of course!  
  
Legofiance: it sounds like a song. I don't remember what they were apologizing about. I personally don't remember.  
  
Pinky: sweet  
  
Kore Yan: of course!  
  
Dream Wall: yeah...that took me a while. sorry.  
  
Terriah: lol... snog indeed.  
  
Horsecrzy: sure they do. Read any good book, the chapter always ends with a cliff hanger.  
  
Can't think of a quote...oh well.  
  
-unolimbo 


	6. A new adventure brewing

Okay, I do some talking about an 'ancient' language, and I say that it was spoken in lore, because the Tortall times are only up to a few hundred, and I don't know what the history is. I'm saying that it is old enough that there were languages before. Now, the language I have chosen is Latin. I am not good with languages, and I thus cannot come up with my own. And Latin rocks.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kel decided that she would do some exercises before breakfast. She retreated back into her room to grab her glaive and practice. She remembered some of the reasons that she didn't like drinking. She was slow and sluggish, and her head was pounding terribly, her brain threatening to burst out of her skull.  
  
Slowly, she sat back down on her bed. Her audience barked and chirped at her.  
  
"Oh, get over it. I'm not practicing, it hurts!" She felt very silly saying that. She was never one to quit for a little pain, but she decided to let it go until the evening, when she felt a bit better.  
  
She decided to just go down to breakfast anyway, and force something down her gullet. Dom got there just about the same time as her. "Morning, Kel." He grinned.  
  
Kel frowned. "Didn't we already do this?"  
  
Dom chuckled. "Not truly. We have seen each other, yes, but we have not said 'good morning' yet."  
  
Kel sighed. "Fine. Good morning." She glared at him. "Slug."  
  
He bowed elaborately and deeply. "Oh, and I am but a humble slug, willing to spend my days trailing my slime around..." Kel hit his head softly and he fell over, face first. By the time he stood up, she was already sitting down at the table, saying her good mornings to her friends.  
  
Kel was sitting at the table that morning when she noticed something. There was a voice, whispering somewhere. It was not a fellow knight, she could tell. Someone was whispering loudly enough that she could easily hear. She looked around at her friends. None of them were whispering. Kel furrowed her brow in confusion.  
  
"What's wrong?" Neal asked, gesturing at her.  
  
Kel cocked her head. "Do you hear that?" She said.  
  
Neal looked up absentmindedly. "Nope.' He finally said. "Nothing."  
  
Dom nodded. "I agree. You're just getting old, Mother."  
  
Kel turned to him. "Do you have a death wish?" She asked.  
  
Dom grinned, but ducked away before she could hit him. She did not say anything, but she as glad to have them call her Mother again. She did not want it to continue, of course, but it was nice to know they remembered.  
  
But it was not Dom's voice that bothered her. The strange whispering had stopped. Kel looked around again, more subtly. There was no one there. She knew she recognized the voice, but she could not pinpoint it. Who, or what was it? Suddenly, it came to her, and she excused herself from the table.  
  
It was speaking in another language. That was why she could not pinpoint the voice. It was not a language she spoke, either. She knew Scanran and Yamani as well as Common Tongue, but this was something else. She recognized it as something they had studied in lessons, briefly. It was an ancient language... but what?  
  
She kept thinking it all the way to the Chapel of the Ordeal. She stopped in front of the door, hesitating. The voice whispered again. She slowly took a step forward and slipped into the dark Chapel. It was dusty and cold, just as she had remembered it. She slowly walked towards the Chamber and touched the cold brass handle. Nothing happened. No voice, no vision. Just cold metal.  
  
She opened the door as wide as it would go and stepped into the black room. As soon as she did, the door slammed shut and the voice started whispering again. It grew louder and faster, and other voices joined in, weaving in and out of each other like insects crawling over each other. Suddenly, the doors swung open, and the voices stopped, leaving only an echo of the loudest.  
  
Kel didn't know what they had said. She know knew it was Latin, an ancient language, spoken in lore long before this world existed.  
  
She went to the library to figure out what the voices had said. She searched the thick dictionaries for the first word. "Magnus..." she muttered to herself, committing it to memory. She flipped the page in the large dictionary slowly. It was thin and brittle, and it felt like it would break in her rough hands. "Magnus," she said. "great or large."  
  
She sighed and continued. "This cannot be good." She muttered. "Periculum." She looked it up. "Danger. Bloody brilliant." She sighed again. Last word, she thought. Almost there. "Adire. Approach."  
  
She dropped her head onto the desk. "Why do you keep doing this to me?" She yelled. Her voice echoed through the small room, and she was glad she had accepted the private space. Sighing, she gathered up her books and gave them back to the clerk at the front.  
  
Great danger approaches. Not quite the inspiring words she had been hoping for.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kel went for a ride the next day on Peachblossom. She rode him straight out of the city and further down the road to the river. She rested there for a while, sitting by the clear black water with a book. Finally, she stood up, stretched her seized up muscles, and strode over to her horse. Just as she was getting near him, a hand came out and grabbed her arm.  
  
Instinctively, Kel twisted her arm back and pinned the mans arm behind his back. She pushed him up against a large tree. "Ouch!" He said.  
  
Kel pushed him harder. "What do you want?" She said.  
  
"I just wanted to say..." he faded off. Kel pushed him again and he squealed as his face rubbed against the coarse bark. "I wanted to tell you that we know! We know your little secret!"  
  
Kel pushed him again, the hardest this time. "Who? You and who? And what do you know?"  
  
He chuckled. "We know about your little friend. That sergeant."  
  
Kel hit the back of his head and backed away. She took one look at him, disgusted, and turned to walk to her horse.  
  
"Don't walk away from me, wench!" He yelled.  
  
Kel rolled her eyes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I know, before you tell me. It was incredibly short. That is because I am in desperate need of some help! I need to know the names of the living cronies of Joren. I know Vinson and Garvey, I think, but I know that one of them did not make it, but got those crazy beatings. Only, I don't remember who it is. So, I need the name of one of his cronies, one who succeeded in becoming a knight (preferably not Quinden... I know they don't like him, but he's not that bad). Well, thank you, and please don't complain about the shortness. It is going to rock very soon.  
  
Dream Wall: that's always fun.  
  
Rubber Duck: glad you like it, I am very proud of my humour, even though it sucks. Tell me, are you Canadian? (you spelled humour with an u, so I'm wondering)  
  
Lady of Masbolle: haha, so true.  
  
Smiles28: I enjoyed it as well.  
  
Secret Agent Angel: Aww, I am truly sorry. I promise.  
  
PsychoLioness13: Of course!  
  
Pinky; nom don't worry, it was not Joren. But maybe you could help me with that problem!  
  
Sal: Ha ha ha... don't worry, Joren is dead. I am not one of those people who is going to say 'he's dead. No, he's alive. No, wait he's really dead. But wait! He's alive again! Aha!' I am a firm believer in the when you're dead, you're dead theory. You sound like someone who could help me out with my predicament.  
  
Legofiance: I agree, I just suck at writing kissing scenes. And battle scenes. And every other scene. So how do I end up with so many fans???  
  
Tanydwr: Actually, he's a sergeant... wait, sergeant is higher than corporal, right? Because I know he is at least a sergeant.  
  
Anonymous: Nope, fiancée is spelled right. If it is the woman, it is fiancée, and if it is the man, it is fiancé, no apostrophe. I think. And yes, I meant to say rooms. Sometimes I just say room, but usually rooms, because it really is more than one. She has a bathroom, and sometimes I like to stick a study in there, just for discontinuity's sake. (that's a joke)  
  
Wake-Robin: Yay!  
  
Kore Yan: Not really. It doesn't really matter if they are. It's not just that she is a woman, really...it's complicated. Ok, maybe it is that she's a woman. Shut up! Stop hurting my feelings!  
  
"If I lived back in the wild west days, instead of carrying a six-gun in my holster, I'd carry a soldering iron. That way, if some smart-aleck cowboy said something like "Hey, look. He's carrying a soldering iron!" and started laughing, and everybody else started laughing, I could just say, "That's right, it's a soldering iron. The soldering iron of justice." Then everybody would get real quiet and ashamed, because they had made fun of the soldering iron of justice, and I could probably hit them up for a free drink."  
  
That is the best quote ever. Read the whole thing, it rocks. And make sure to answer my query!  
  
-unolimbo 


	7. Get over it

"Garvey of Runnerspring, what on earth would possess you to jump to these conclusions?" She demanded.  
  
He spat. "Don't treat me like a child, Mindelan. I am your senior and your better. Don't you dare try to speak to me like that!"  
  
Kel took a step forward and punched him, square in the nose. He fell over, obviously not ready for the attack, and Kel took the moment to talk.  
  
"Look," she said, "no matter what you try, no matter what you attempt, I can beat it, okay? You can try to attack me, I can beat you again. You can try to hurt my feelings, but I don't care. I have had so many people call me a whore or a wench or a slut, or anything of the sort that it just has no meaning anymore. And don't even dare trying to hurt my friends again. I have had just about enough of that."  
  
He growled, but turned and disappeared into the trees.  
  
Kel sighed again. "Why does this always happen?" She muttered. She took a hold of Peachblossom's reins and threw herself onto the horse. "Let's go home, Peachblossom." She said.  
  
Kel knew that this was not a good thing. Could it be that Garvey was what the Chamber had been warning her about? It had mentioned great danger. True, Garvey was a threat to her; she could tell now that he, as with Joren, was willing to use force; but was he really such a major threat? Surely if the Chamber were to bother, it was something big.  
  
But what?  
  
Kel decided that she would cross that bridge when she came to it. Right now, she just wanted to get back to her room to have a bath.  
  
"Keladry!" Someone called. Kel sighed and turned to face them. She really didn't want to deal with another altercation.  
  
"What?" She said.  
  
Yuki stopped in her tracks. "I'm sorry," she blushed. "I didn't realize."  
  
Kel shook her head. "I'm sorry, Yuki. I didn't mean to be rude. I just had a bad day."  
  
The Yamani girl smiled. "Don't worry, Keladry. I understand." She said. "I have had those days as well. I was just going to ask if you wished to come an practice the glaives with us. Princess Shinko and I are training with Lady Alanna. She wishes to prove that glaive work is not as powerful than the sword. Another knight would be wonderful."  
  
Kel smiled. "Thank you, but I must pass your offer. I need to bathe, and I have some work to do."  
  
Yuki gave her a questioning look. "Work?" She asked as Kel backed away.  
  
Kel smiled and opened her arms, backing away. "I'm a knight," she said, grinning. "I always have work."  
  
Yuki laughed. "Very well. I will accept that excuse this time, but never again. Tomorrow, you will come to glaive practice with us. And you will throw the shukusen with us."  
  
Kel sighed. "If I lose any fingers, I hold you completely responsible."  
  
Yuki smiled. "Very well. I guess we shall just get my Neal to throw with us. You do remember last time, do you not?"  
  
Kel winced. "Fine, I will play. I don't want Neal risking his own fingers, and probably his entire hand." She waved to Yuki, already down the hall now, and slipped into her room.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kel spent almost every day on edge. She had told herself she would deal with the imminent danger when it came too her, but she could not help but be nervous. Dom noticed it one day, when she was sitting in her room with him. He was lying on her bed with a book, she sitting by the window.  
  
"All right, that's it. What's wrong?"  
  
Kel raised her eyebrows and looked at him. "Wrong?"  
  
Dom threw his book to the end of the bed and sat up. "Of course. I can tell when something is wrong, Kel. I know you that well. You are jumpy, you aren't settling at all; you keep glancing around; you always have a weapon in arms reach. I'm not an idiot, Kel."  
  
She put her head in her hands. "I'm sorry. It's just, I was having some trouble. I heard voices."  
  
Dom looked worried. "Kel, is this a problem?" he asked.  
  
Kel smiled weakly. "Not as of yet," she said. "it was the Chamber." He looked almost more worried, but let Kel continue. "I went to the Chamber to get the entire message. It was not in Common tongue. It was in Latin. It said, 'great danger approaches.' And then, of course, I was worried about it."  
  
Dom smiled. "I guess that is all right. I was just worried about you. Promise me you will be careful?"  
  
Kel frowned. "Dom, I was being careful. I was being careful until you said you were worried about me!"  
  
He smiled sheepishly and blushed. "Oops." He said.  
  
Kel stretched out. "I also had a run in with Garvey of Runnerspring." She said lightly. Dom raised an eyebrow. "He is a fellow knight. Two years older than me, or so. He was a friend of Joren of Stone Mountain."  
  
"The squire who died?" Dom said, surprised.  
  
Kel nodded. "He attacked me. Don't worry," she added, "I pulverized him." She smiled. "He called me a whore, a wench, probably everything he could think of. He saw you leave my room after the ball."  
  
Dom blushed profusely. "Sorry about that." He said. "I hardly meant for you to get into trouble."  
  
Kel laughed. "Trouble? Of course not. Dom, I have dealt with this since I was ten years old. I doubt Neal ever told you- goodness, I doubt I ever told him- they ransacked my room, they peed at my doorstep- everything."  
  
Dom laughed. "Poor you." He said.  
  
Kel stood up. "If you're going to insult me, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She said hotly.  
  
Dom stood up. "Kel, that's not funny."  
  
She grinned. "Of course it is. You just have a horrible sense of humour."  
  
Dom rolled his eyes. He stood up and kissed her. "I will talk to you later, all right?"  
  
Kel nodded. "Later. Of course. I will see you at dinner."  
  
Dom kissed her again. "Don't get into too big of a fight before dinner, okay?"  
  
Kel smiled. "Just leave already."  
  
Kel knew that he had been worried about her, that was true. He had spoken to her about it, something she could never have done. She wished she could have his confidence, his power. She sighed. He would just have to have enough for both of them.  
  
Kel wanted to get out of the palace. She was tired of running into people who didn't approve of her being a knight. It confused her. It had been years now, but all of a sudden, people were doubting her again. She didn't know what it was, but no one had faith in her anymore. She tried avoiding certain people, but sometimes, people she never expected were saying things to her.  
  
"It's because of Garvey. Remember, you told me that he saw you with Dom. They are making assumptions now." Neal said one day at breakfast. "Besides, they have nothing else to do. Now that they don't have Maggur to blame. They cannot blame King Jon for running the war badly, because he won. So they turn to you." He said.  
  
Kel frowned. "Why can they not turn to you?" She said.  
  
Neal laughed. "Because I have done everything correctly. I am just too perfect." He said.  
  
Kel rolled her eyes. "I am just going to talk to someone else. My social life is none of anyone's concern, and I want nothing to do with it."  
  
Neal cocked his head to the side. "You want nothing to do with your social life?" He said.  
  
Kel put her head in her hands. "Please, just promise me that you will leave me alone someday, when everything is lost, and my world falls apart. Promise me that you will just walk away, and not find some way to mock me."  
  
Neal frowned. "You should not joke about that. You, of all women, know that these are serious issues in war. What if one of your friends died? Would you act like that?"  
  
Kel frowned in turn. "I was not joking. And you are not supposed to be the serious one, Neal." Kel shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "Anyway, I just think that it is none of these people's business."  
  
Neal smiled. "Just marry the guy. That will take everything they have on you."  
  
Kel grinned. "Or, you could marry him. That would work better, then I could still have my freedom."  
  
Neal frowned. "I hate you, do you know that, Lady Knight?"  
  
Kel laughed. "Maybe so, Neal, maybe so." She patted him on the shoulder and got up. "I need to do some training."  
  
He nodded. "Okay. I'll see you later."  
  
Kel smiled. "You aren't even going to come and train with me?"  
  
Neal raised an eyebrow. "I am perfectly with an unbruised body, thank you."  
  
Kel left him with his breakfast and went outside. It was a cool, early autumn morning, and there was no one at the tilting ground. Kel was fairly disappointed. She wanted to hit someone. She needed some way to get her energy out, but just tilting against a shield or a ring was not enough for her.  
  
She decided not to ride, but decided upon glaive practice. She trekked back up to her room and picked up her glaive, and in fifteen minutes, she was already gathering a small crowd. As people slowly and reluctantly made their way down to practice, they dallied at the fence to watch her dance.  
  
Kel didn't really like it. she hated to be a spectacle, feeling silly about fighting with air. She would have preferred if someone would come and fight with her, even if it was with sword. But no one came forward. The crowd got smaller as the pages were sent off to practice, but a few squires and knights still watched.  
  
Kel noticed something bright and turquoise in the crowd, and she glanced over. Yuki was standing there, wearing simple breeches and a blouse, the only Yamani costume she wore was the turquoise sash around her waist.  
  
Kel stopped her dance and waved for Yuki to come and practice with her. The girl grinned and slipped under the fence. She had her glaive with her, and Kel knew that she was there to practice as well.  
  
They started a dance together, and Kel felt more comfortable. She was tired, though, and Yuki was going to get the better of her soon. They kept score, and Kel barely beat Yuki.  
  
They decided to stop after half an hour. They bowed to each other. "Good match, Yuki." Kel said. She grinned. "8 hits to 7. Very close indeed."  
  
Yuki shrugged. One of those hits was not quite fair." She said.  
  
Kel laughed. "Excuse me? Be a good sport, will you?"  
  
Yuki gave her a hug. "I'm going to wash up, I will talk to you later."  
  
Kel smiled. "Goodbye."  
  
Yuki walked off towards the palace, and Kel went to the nearby well to get some water. She was parched. She had been exercising for an hour, and she was parched.  
  
"Well, that was entertaining." Kel looked up. Dom was grinning down at her.  
  
Kel smiled. "Good morning." She said. "what are you doing down here?"  
  
He grinned. "I came to practice, but I got sidetracked, along with almost everyone else who came down here. I was watching you."  
  
Kel smiled. "that's nice." She said.  
  
"Shall we walk?"  
  
Kel nodded and walked with him. She looked down, wondering what he was going to do.  
  
"Kel, I have been thinking." He said.  
  
She looked up. "About what?"  
  
He shrugged. "Everything, really. War, my position, being here, you." He glanced at her, and she him, then they both looked down. "I was thinking, maybe it isn't so great, being here. I mean, I like being in the Own, and I don't mind fighting for the Crown, but I would just like a change some day."  
  
Kel smiled. "Won't you get bored?"  
  
Dom frowned. "Kel, I'm serious."  
  
She nodded. "I know. So am I. think about it, how boring have these past few months been? Mine has been terribly boring. Not when I was with you, of course." She added quickly. "But still, would you not miss it all? The long trips with your friends, the exhilaration of the battle, the time at the camps. It is amazing. You know that."  
  
Dom nodded. "I realize that. But war is not the kind of excitement that lasts forever. It's like going away. You would love to see the world, other countries, but that does not mean that you never want to go home."  
  
She nodded. "So you are saying you are going to quit the Own and go home?" She said quietly.  
  
Dom shook his head quickly. "No, not at all!" He said. "I'm just saying, I'm not going to want to do it forever. Someday I'm going to want to settle down. I want a family, which I cannot have until I quit the Own. I'm just saying it will be one day, a long time from now."  
  
Kel smiled. "Dom, why exactly are you saying this to me?"  
  
He shrugged again, looking incredibly nervous. "Because I thought, in a few years, you know, you might want to come with me."  
  
Kel blushed profusely. "Dom, I'm not sure. That's a lot."  
  
He nodded. "I know. That's why I'm telling you now. I just wanted you to know. So you didn't fall in love with anyone else, I guess."  
  
Kel put her hand on his arm. "Dom, I won't fall in love with anyone else for some time. Don't worry." She kissed him. "Now, before we walk any farther, I need a shower."  
  
He smiled. "I love you, Kel. I will see you for lunch, all right?"  
  
Kel nodded and kissed him again. "Bye."  
  
She jogged back up to her room, feeling tears come to her eyes. She ran straight into her room and slammed the door, falling back against it and falling to the floor. How could Dom have said that? Everything had been so simple that morning, but now, now it seemed like nothing in her world made sense. Dom had essentially asked her to marry him, but had told her to wait for him. Did she want to do that? Did she want to do nothing all her life, just waiting, hoping that Dom would et bored of war and come and be with her?  
  
She didn't want that. She didn't want the short end of that particular stick.  
  
She decided to just have her bath and deal with her emotions later.  
  
And deal with how to say no to Dom.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sorry I took so long. Just so you all know, this chapter is not very good. It's really, really boring. Very few people mentioned Garvey when I asked about the people, but he was really the only one who made any sense, as much as I could remember. If there are any discrepancies in his story that any of you know about, please tell me.  
  
Dream Wall: I'm having writers block all around. It's going to be a while until my next chapter in either of these stories. This one, or Good Things Come to Those Who Wait.  
  
Rootless Californian: helpful... thanks. Yes, it was the Chamber. I thought that was fairly obvious, but I guess not.  
  
Ladyla: uh, I really have no idea who he is, so I won't go with that. But thank you anyway! Don't worry, I don't like killing her friends, unless it makes a big difference to the story. And I have no reason for it.  
  
Wake-Robin: Latin is fun, except that I suck at it. Oh well!  
  
Kore Yan: No, you misunderstood. I am sorry, it doesn't really work in print, but it's sort of like, oh, give me a second- you know how its funny sometimes when someone is trying to explain something and is talking and then just runs away and it's really funny? I think they did it on the Simpsons, or possibly Family Guy- I can't remember, my friends and I have been doing it for such a long time that I don't remember where it is from. Anyway, I changed it slightly, so that instead of running away, I just tell them to shut up and leave me alone...okay, this explanation makes no sense, because it's hard to explain. I'm just going to give up while I'm ahead, and hope that you get it that I'm just an idiot. And why did you ask if I am a guy?  
  
Tanydwr: Thank you, that's who I thought it was, but I really was not sure at all. Yeah, he's definitely a sergeant.  
  
Sal: I have heard that he reformed. And besides, the Bazhir have always struck me as being very calm, and not that impulsive. But I could be wrong, and probably am.  
  
PsychoLioness13: thanks, I've gotten Zahir a lot.  
  
Anonymous: stop that. I realize that I sometimes have mistakes, but they are really rare! I promise!  
  
AJ 4EVA: I doubt I will, but...  
  
Legofiance: maybe, maybe not...  
  
Kelly Masbolle: glad you like it.  
  
Rubber Duck: Why is that funny? I was just wondering, because of your spelling, because I didn't know that you spell like that in Australia, though it makes sense that you do. I honestly think that you were the only person who said Garvey, which I found very strange, because as far as I know, he is the most obvious choice. Quinden didn't seem that serious in Lady Knight, he just seemed really annoying. I don't really want to use fathers, because I don't know their characters very well.  
  
Lady of Masbolle: fun. Maybe I will put him in later, but right now, just Garvey.  
  
Pinky: so many people have said him!  
  
Me: oops, that's two for Garvey!  
  
"If they ever come up with a Swashbuckling School, I think one of the courses should be Laughing, Then Jumping Off Something."  
  
-unolimbo 


	8. Decisions

Kel still wasn't sure what she was going to say to Dom. Did she want to agree and wait for him, possibly forfeiting her future for him, or did she want to refuse him and continue without him?  
  
Kel knew her answer, but she also knew that Dom would not like it. She wanted both. She wanted to stay with him for now, she knew that, but she did not want to tie herself to him.  
  
She went down to the practice courts to let out some of her energy. She spent almost two hours there, just training. She did everything she could think of; tilting with the willow ring, practicing her glaive dance, her sword dance, her archery skills, and then she went for a run with the weights around the palace, up on the ledge that always terrified her, down back to the courts.  
  
She threw her weights back into the weight cupboard and sighed. She was completely exhausted, sweaty, dirty, and she didn't feel any better.  
  
She pushed herself back up the hill and through the castle to her rooms. She needed a bath more than anything; she got a maid to fill her tub on the way back.  
  
After soaking for what seemed like hours, Kel knew she could put it off no longer. It was five o'clock, according to the bell that rang as Kel got out of the tub. She had to go to dinner soon. And she had to speak to Dom.  
  
She went to her wardrobe and pulled out a simple yellow dress. She wanted to be a girl tonight. She didn't quite know why, maybe she wanted to make Dom jealous, maybe she wanted to make him understand that this meant nothing was different, she still loved him. she didn't know. She just knew she wanted to wear a dress.  
  
When she thought she looked sufficiently pretty, she stepped out of her room. As she did, she noticed that everyone walking by was incredibly dressed up. She stopped and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Bloody hell." She said finally. She had completely forgotten, there was another ball tonight. She had no escort, no proper dress, and no time.  
  
She turned back around and threw her door open. She would have to go without dinner tonight, at least until the ball was over, maybe she could get something from the kitchens.  
  
She decided after half an hour of trying to read over the sound of her stomach grumbling that she needed something to eat. She went down to the stables and got out Hoshi. She went down to the village to get some fruit. An hour later, she had eaten her fill of apples and got back on Hoshi to ride back to the palace.  
  
It was dark by the time she got back to the stables, and she quickly un- tacked Hoshi and walked back to her rooms. As she was walking across the square, she heard someone call her name.  
  
She squinted across the square, trying to see who it was by the light from the windows. It was Dom.  
  
She tried to ignore him and keep going, but she could not. She was walking straight towards him, for one thing, and he was calling her name so loudly that there was no way she could pretend she had not heard.  
  
"Kel!" He said as Kel walked up to him.  
  
Kel smiled weakly. "Good evening, Dom." She said, bowing her head slightly in greeting.  
  
Dom grinned at her. "I didn't see you at lunch, and then you didn't show up for the ball. I didn't know what to do, I had no one to keep me company!"  
  
Kel shrugged. "I was practicing." She said.  
  
Dom raised an eyebrow. "All day?"  
  
Kel shrugged again. "I had a bath afterwards, and then I went to town to get some fruit. I didn't want to go to the ball."  
  
Dom crossed his arms and looked her over. "Come on, Mindelan, sit down with me." He said, leading her over to a nearby bench. It was almost pitch black, and Kel could only see Dom's silhouette. He looked worried. "What's wrong?"  
  
Kel shrugged. "Nothing."  
  
Dom frowned. "Kel, you are never this nonchalant. What is wrong?"  
  
She sighed. "I don't want to wait for you." She said quietly, choking on her words. Her eyes welled up with tears as she said it, and she felt her chest clench.  
  
"Oh." Dom said after a moment. He too was looking at the ground when Kel looked up at him.  
  
"Dom, I don't want this to be goodbye." Kel whispered. "I don't want to have to give you up just because I don't want to wait forever."  
  
Dom nodded slowly. "Sure you do."  
  
Kel stood up in anger. "Dom, you can't just give me this ultimatum and expect me to make a life decision in a day! You have no right to tell me something like this! How would you like it if I told you that you had to decide if you wanted me or the rest of your life? I don't expect you to make that decision, and maybe you should have some time to yourself to think about that!"  
  
She turned on her heel and strode away, tears stinging her eyes. She would not turn back, she would not turn back... she stopped. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, still telling herself that she would not turn back. It didn't work. As she stood there, telling herself that, she heard Dom stand up. He did not know that she was still there.  
  
As he slowly stood and walked towards her just as slowly, and Kel could not stop her self. She spun around and walked briskly up to Dom.  
  
Before he had any time say anything to her, Kel put her hand around his neck and kissed him passionately. They stood there, Dom too shocked to do anything. Kel stepped back and turned back again to the palace, and walked up to her room.  
  
She collapsed on her bed as soon as she got to it, wishing that she could just go back in time and have the entire day never happen. But she couldn't; she was smart enough to realize that if she wanted things to get better, she would have to work them out herself. But for now, she could dream. She would work on everything in the morning.  
  
Just after she had fallen asleep, there was a knock on her door. Kel jerked her head up. She looked at the closed door, as if she would be able to gaze through it at who was standing there.  
  
"Who is it?" She said, standing up and taking a brush to her rumpled hair.  
  
"It's me." Dom's voice came through the door.  
  
Kel put her arms down and sighed. "Goodnight, Dom." She said, blowing out her candle and going back to sleep.  
  
Kel woke the next morning very sore. She had worked herself too hard the day before. If she went to practice today, Peachblossom would probably not let her on him. She got dressed quickly, brushed her teeth and hair, and opened the door to go to breakfast.  
  
She stopped in her tracks as soon as she did. "Oh, for heavens sake!" She said. Dom was sitting in a chair on the other side of the hall.  
  
He didn't move when Kel said it. he just stared at her and gave a weak smile, after a moment. "Well," he said, slapping his hands on his thighs and standing up with a groan and a stretch, "I was wondering when you would turn up. It is getting very late, you know."  
  
Kel crossed her arms. "Dom, I told you I didn't want to talk to you."  
  
Dom nodded glumly. "I know. But you really just said to take some time to think about what I said, and I did. You were right. I was an idiot."  
  
"Glad you figured it out." Kel said coolly.  
  
"Oh, come on, Kel. I said I was sorry, can't that be good enough for you?" Dom demanded.  
  
Kel stared at him, her face hard. Slowly, she nodded. "Alright." She finally said. "I understand that you realize that you were completely wrong."  
  
"Completely!" Dom repeated, nodding.  
  
"And you are a stupid git." She said.  
  
Dom nodded slowly. "I'm a stupid git." He muttered, and Kel laughed.  
  
"You said it." she grinned. "Now come on, I'm starving!" She grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him down the hall towards the dining hall. "So how was the ball last night?" She joked.  
  
Dom frowned. "It's not fair, why did you get to miss it?"  
  
Kel smiled as he complained about what a horrible time he had had. She tried to listen, she really did, but she could not stop thinking how lucky she was that Dom was a man who could accept his mistakes.  
  
Just after Neal sat down and started arguing with Dom, Kel heard a voice. She closed her eyes. This had happened before. She stood up quickly and excused herself from her friends walking briskly down busy halls, still hearing whispers all around her. She marched up to the Chapel of the Ordeal and threw the doors open. The dusty room was silent, but Kel did not stop. She gripped the cold iron handles of the Chamber and pulled them open. She took a step in, and, like the time before, the doors slammed closed behind her.  
  
But before the Chamber could begin again, Kel shouted, "That is enough! We agreed the last time you gave me a mission that we were done. Don't think I don't remember it. We agreed you would get someone else!"  
  
Her voice echoed through the Chamber around her. After it came silence. No voice came, but Kel could feel it speaking. She could not explain it, it was like her own thoughts, silent, in her head. It said, "there is no one else."  
  
Kel took a deep breath and sighed. "If this mission gets me killed, or as close to being killed as last time, I will not be happy."  
  
The Chamber did not argue. It did not laugh at Kel thinking she had power over it. it was scared. It said three words to her now, only three words before the doors flew open again and Kel walked slowly back to her room to collapse on her bed in thought.  
  
It said:  
  
"It is here."  
  
Ooh, creepy, eh? I enjoyed writing this chapter. Don't really know why, because I thought it was pretty boring up until the end... oh well.  
  
Kelly Masbolle: yep. I am completely unoriginal. I have new ideas for this story though, don't worry. I just haven't gotten to them yet.  
  
Wake-Robin: sure, I'll get better... glad you liked it!  
  
Anonymous: Gah! Damn you! Stupid people and their stupid being right.... Grr... just kidding. And when I say rare, I mean I only have a few per chapter. I have read stories where there are a few per paragraph, honest.  
  
Erkith: ha, don't worry. It will all get better.  
  
Pinky: well, she doesn't really have to get married if she doesn't want to. And its not that she doesn't love him, its that she doesn't want to make a decision like that right away.  
  
Aussie correspondent: it sucks to have to use school computers for stuff like that. at my school, they block just about every site that has anything of any 'improper'...what's the word I'm looking for? Stuff? Information? Well, anyway, they block silly things, so I'm lucky to have my own computer at home...  
  
Rubber Duck: well, maybe it thought he could do more good than bad. Like, while he still might be kinda evil and annoying, he would be able to help lots of people by being a knight.  
  
Sal: thanks...I actually think that I don't do her very realistically, just because all Dom and she ever talk about is their relationship... I've been trying to get away from that...  
  
PsychoLioness13: thanks  
  
Tanydwr: thank you!  
  
CrystalLili: Well, what I just realized by rereading Lady Knight, is that New Hope is a town, not a refugee camp. Maybe something happened, they didn't need her, or maybe it is a camp, but they didn't need a knight any more... you never know. Actually, I don't either, and I wrote the story!  
  
ShadowPirate: thank you!  
  
Lady of Masbolle: ha, thank you! That's a good line, I'll have to remember that.  
  
Kore Yan: that's okay. All done now, right? Yay!  
  
Lady Wolfspeaker: don't worry, don't worry.  
  
CrystalLili: I don't know. I don't think there is anything out of character about feeling she needs a bath. If she's not at war, why should she be dirty? And I think that Neal's remark was quite in character! But I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I'm not trying to prove you wrong, that's just how I see it.  
  
R: remind me, please, what does OC mean? I always ask this, but I can never remember...  
  
AJ 4EVA: thank you, I will!  
  
"I hope if dogs ever take over the world, and they chose a king, they don't just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with some good ideas."  
  
-unolimbo 


	9. Still approaching

Kel didn't know what to think. The Chamber had done quite a few things it never did: it had broken a promise, it had spoken to someone outside of itself, it had let a human command it, and it had been scared.  
  
Kel couldn't help herself. As she sat on her bed, thinking, she cried. She cried over Dom, she cried over how much trouble the past few weeks had been, she cried over what was to come. As soon as she recovered herself, she got to work. If great danger was at her doorstep, she didn't want to be in the bath when it knocked.  
  
Days passed slowly. Kel always had a knife concealed in her belt, and when she had a free hand, she always walked with her right thumb tucked in behind the knife, so she could pull it out instantly when she needed to. She was always on guard, looking around corners, checking the stables before she went in. One day, as she cautiously entered her room, a thought came to her.  
  
The danger wasn't for her. The Chamber did not care if someone tried to kill a lowly female knight. Something was endangering the kingdom. And Kel wouldn't stop it by peeking around corners.  
  
She went to see the king that day. She knew it was unlikely he would listen, but she thought it worth a try.  
  
"Good evening, Keladry." Jon said, smiling.  
  
Kel bowed. "Good evening, your majesty. I have a very important request to make." She said, getting straight to the point. She squeezed her hands tightly together, feeling them slip with sweat.  
  
"Go ahead." He said.  
  
Kel nodded. "The Chamber of the Ordeal spoke to me." She said. "Twice. I know it was the Chamber, I recognized the voice, and when I went to the Chamber to check, it told me the same thing. Something is going down." She said. "Something that is big enough for the Chamber to care about."  
  
Jon put his hands together and nodded. "I know." He said. Kel blinked. He knew? "What did the Chamber tell you?" He asked.  
  
"It said, 'great danger approaches,' and 'it is here.'"  
  
Jon frowned. "This is no good." He stood up and paced the room. "I am aware of the actions that are taking place. But I too do not know what these actions are. You must find out. It is imperative that you do this. You seem to be the only other person who knows what is going on. You must find out what is truly going on!"  
  
Kel nodded. "Your majesty, I'm not sure if it's acceptable for me to ask, but, how do you know about the danger?"  
  
Jon sighed. "I heard of it the same way you did. The Chamber told me."  
  
Kel nodded. "Oh."  
  
The king stood up. "Very well, Keladry. Do what you feel is necessary. If the event happens that you need men, take whoever and as many as you need. Take the supplies you need, I don't care! Just deal with it."  
  
Kel nodded. "Of course, your majesty." She rose and walked to the door, but paused when she reached it. "Your majesty..."  
  
Jon looked at her. "Yes?"  
  
"Do you think I could possibly have free use of the royal libraries? The restrictions do make it rather difficult to research some things."  
  
He smiled weakly. "Of course. Remember, Keladry. You do not have to ask. As far as I am concerned, you can do what ever the hell you want."  
  
Kel nodded, slightly shocked that the king would say that to a knight, no matter how much he trusted her. "Thank you, your majesty." Kel turned and left the room silently.  
  
Kel was conflicted. What was she to do? This was not like something she had dealt with before. She had not been expecting for the king to be putting her in charge of this. If he had heard it too, why didn't _he_ do it?  
  
She sighed, running her hand through her hair, probably mussing it. That was silly. He was the king. He was too busy for that. This was too much for her. She couldn't do this, she couldn't solve something like this on her own!  
  
She stopped walking and shook her head violently, making her brain rattle. Don't be silly, Keladry, she thought. The king believes you can do this. You can do it.  
  
Nevertheless, her nerves were shooting every which way. She took a deep breath to collect herself and closed her eyes. "Come now, Keladry." She muttered. "You know how to handle yourself."  
  
"Talking to yourself, Mindelan? You are just going downhill!" A mocking voice said from behind her.  
  
Kel's eyes shot open. "Well, Masbolle, it's more entertaining than talking to you." She said, then turned around and grinned at Dom.  
  
He mocked an arrow flying into his chest. Kel punched him. "Dramatist." She said.  
  
Dom put a hand to his forehead. "Alas, my time in this realm is drawing to a close. I must travel onwards, to the grey havens of the other worlds..."  
  
Kel smiled. She was glad Dom was there to take her mind off things, but she needed to stay on track. She needed to find out what was going on.  
  
Kel spent weeks on end doing nothing but work. She spent her mornings training her fighting skills more and more, and spent her afternoons poring over books in the libraries. She felt like she was back at school, training in the morning, classes in the afternoon, and working on problems at night.  
  
Only now, the problems she worked on at night were how to keep herself and her friends alive.  
  
Although the Chamber had said that the evil had drawn near, it did not show itself. But Kel began to notice it's presence. It was like everyone knew something was coming, but not what. It was like they all knew what Kel knew. The air was tight, and everybody's tempers were short.  
  
"Kel, why have you been acting so strangely?" Dom asked her one day at lunch, as she ate her meal as quickly as possible, preparing for another afternoon of studying.  
  
Kel looked up. "What do you mean?"  
  
Dom frowned. "You have been strange recently. I mean, you were never the loudest person, but lately it seems you are beyond quiet. You are never around; we can always find you practicing or in the library."  
  
Kel shrugged. "I'm brushing up."  
  
Dom shook his head in disbelief. "Kel, we both know that is not true. You are affecting the way all of your friends act, and we worry about you."  
  
Kel put her head in her hands and closed her eyes for a minute. Dom waited. When she lifted her head, he was waiting patiently, ready for her response. She glanced at the people around her. Most of them were friends, but not all, and she still was not sure if she wanted to involve her friends.  
  
Sighing, she stood up and grabbed Dom by the wrist, weaving through the tables, out the door. She led him all the way up to the knights wing, and straight into her room. She spun around to face him. he looked scared. "Dom, I don't know what is wrong. That is why I'm spending time in the library, to find out. Something is coming, and it is something big, and it is my responsibility to find out, so just let me do what I have been instructed to do."  
  
Dom looked at her, bewildered. "Kel, what are you talking about? Slow down, and start from the beginning. I'm sure you can spare this time."  
  
Kel sat down on the bed. "A while ago, the Chamber spoke to more. Outside of its walls. How it did it is not important. But it said that danger was coming, and Dom," she added quietly, "it was scared."  
  
Dom didn't ask questions. He just pulled up a chair right across from her and listened intently.  
  
"I tried to stay on guard. I tried to be ready. Then the Chamber told me that it was here, and I talked to the king, and he knew it was here, and he put me in charge of stopping it, with free run of any supplies or men I need. Only problem is, we still don't know what it is. But whatever it is, it's been here for a few weeks now."  
  
Dom shook his head. "This isn't right. You shouldn't be doing this yourself."  
  
Kel shrugged. "I was the one that the Chamber spoke to. That means that I am the one who has to do this."  
  
Dom shook his head. "The king was told as well." He said.  
  
Kel sighed. "I think that the Chamber told him to make sure that he would believe me."  
  
Dom frowned. "Kel, stop running around the bush. You need help. You know it."  
  
Kel ran her hand through her hair. She didn't know what to do. "You know what," she said exasperatedly, "fine. I can't do this myself, I'll admit it. But it doesn't mean I'm going to work any less hard!"  
  
Dom took ahold of her hand and held it tightly. It was shaking. "Kel, sit down. Take a deep breath."  
  
Rolling her eyes, Kel sat. Dom kneeled beside her. "Kel," He said. "you should have told me. You should have told Neal. You should have told all of us. I, and probably everyone else, wants to help. Just let me help you."  
  
Kel smiled. "Alright, already. I'll accept your help. And thank you."  
  
Dom stood up. "There, I knew you would agree." He sat down beside her. "Now. Do we have any idea what is coming?"  
  
Kel shook her head glumly. "We have nothing." She said. "I have been doing so much research, but it just is not working. I don't think I'm taking the right route."  
  
Dom smiled. "I think maybe if the king let you set up men on the borders of the city, we could protect it better."  
  
Kel shook her head. "But what if it's not in the city? What if it covers the entirety of Tortall?"  
  
Dom rubbed his chin in thought. He sighed. "I think your best bet is to keep practicing. Have all knights and soldiers of the area ready for war, when it comes. Have them practice as much as you do. Have them be prepared."  
  
Kel stood up. "My god, no one is ready! We have to prepare them!"  
  
Dom stood up. "Should you ask the king to make the announcement?"  
  
Kel nodded. "I'm going to do it now."  
  
She walked to the door, but Dom held her back. "Kel," he said, pulling her closer, "be careful."  
  
She smiled. "You be careful too. If I have anything to say about it, you will be in this just as deep as me." She kissed him. "I can't stay. I'm sorry, I have to go!" She kissed him again and disappeared through the doorway.  
  
All around Corus, for weeks to come, soldiers and knights were preparing for something they did not know about. Kel was especially worried, because if the Chamber had said the danger was here, but it had not shown itself... it could only be getting stronger.  
  
Dom tried to assure her it was not true, but to no avail. She knew that it was just getting worse.  
  
She had to seek it out for herself.  
  
......................................................................................................  
  
Well, there is Chapter 9. I am really truly sorry I have not updated in a month. I had NO IDEA it was that long, and I was having some serious trouble... I _still_ haven't decided what the evil is!!! :)  
  
Wake-Robin: You are always the first person to review...I just noticed that. Glad you like the mystery... I'm very happy with it:)  
  
Dream Wall: So into it. It's the only stuff I'm any good at writing. Of course, I have the least imagination, and I can never think of anything to start with...:(  
  
AJ 4EVA: Oops... sorry that took so long.  
  
ShadowPirate: thank you. Yes, I pride myself on my nonfluffy fluff.  
  
Ellabelle1: haha, I never even thought about it that way. But I don't consider it that they fight a lot, I consider it that they argue a lot. There is a big difference. And yes, I am definitely picking it up. I am going slowly with it because a) I still don't know what the evil is and b) everyone said I went through all my plots too fast.  
  
Rubber Duck: Hold your horses... it's here.  
  
The eternity: ha... it indeed.  
  
PsychoLioness13: I would tell you, absolutely, if I knew.  
  
Tanydwr: it is here because it has reached Tortall, or Corus, or the realm, or what ever the Chamber considers 'here.' I don't know it's reason yet.  
  
Anonymous: wahoo! Mistakeless! Hey, I'm not that bad. I get quite a few reviews saying I have one of the few readable stories on the site. I actually Am, sometimes. I think my record was three 3000 word chapters in a day. But, alas, that was during March Break. And I'm sorry I can't update every day, but I have a life to lead...especially at the end of the year. I have numerous parties to go to, a few to organize myself, I have to shop and pack for camp, and there is more that I won't go into detail about. Also, I do have 4 stories up and running right now. Well, three... but I've got the start of a sequel that I'm writing...that counts.  
  
Pinky: hmm.. I wouldn't really look at it that way, but I guess you could see it.  
  
Lady of Masbolle: that's ok... I'm glad you like them.  
  
Kore Yan: yay! Update!  
  
Alannawanabe: I think he said that in my other story... I could cross it over, but I actually look at things completely differently in each story. One story might describe the palace looking like one thing, while the other story will describe it differently. I wrote that Raoul said that, and for now, I have decided not to have him say it in this story. (does that make sense?) Besides, I think she had a right to be stressy with him.  
  
Miliko01:ha... yes I do! I love cliffhangers. If you notice, in books, chapters almost always end on a cliffhanger! Thus, I make cliffhangers...besides, people are more likely to read my next chapter if they have not seen a resolution in the last.  
  
Tricksters-daughter: Latin sucks. I actually really don't like it... but that could be because I failed my exam. Hmm... I wonder?  
  
Dreamerdoll: hehe...oops. Well, it just took a bit longer than expected.  
  
Once again: I am sorry it took so long to update, and I hope to have the evil in one of the next few chapters (just this second I figured out what it is! Hurrah!)  
  
"Why do people in ship mutinies always ask for "better treatment"? I'd ask for a pinball machine, because with all that rocking back and forth you'd probably be able to get a lot of free games."  
  
-unolimbo 


	10. Don't leave me

"Kel, this is ridiculous!" Dom said. "You cannot go searching for this."  
  
Kel frowned. "Why not? In war, you want to know what you are fighting against. This is probably going to become war, and this is the only way to find out what is coming."  
  
Neal, standing quietly beside them, chose to speak up now. "Where do you plan to start looking?" He asked quietly. He was morose. War meant putting off his marriage even longer. It was set for the next week.  
  
Kel sighed. "I don't know. But I have a lot of ground to cover. I have ideas of what I'm looking for. Big, angry, possibly army or really serious immortal."  
  
Dom shook his head, pacing the room. "Kel, this is insane! You are leaving the safety of the city to search, by yourself, for an evil that you know nothing about. How do you know you'll be able to get back?"  
  
"I don't." Kel said sternly. She stood up straight, looking forward. This was not an debate. They could not change her mind. "But I do know I can stop it if I need to."  
  
Dom scoffed. "Kel, that is even worse! You said yourself it is possibly an army. You cannot defeat an army on your own!"  
  
"I can find that there is an army before they find me. I would not get caught."  
  
Neal shook his head. "Kel, Dom is right. You cannot just go off like this. We can't let you."  
  
Kel frowned. "I'm not asking you to let me. I'm just going."  
  
"Where are you going to start?" Neal asked her. He still looked as though he very much did not want her to go, but he was asking it less in a rhetoric to get her to stay, but more to find out her plan.  
  
"I do not know yet. I plan to go where my heart tells me."  
  
Neal looked at her sternly. "Just promise me you will make it back in one piece so I can get married with you here."  
  
Kel looked sympathetic, but Dom looked bewildered. "Neal," Kel said, "I cannot be back in a week."  
  
Neal smiled weakly. "I think this is worth the wait."  
  
Kel hugged him, something she rarely did. 'Thank you, Neal. This was not something I expected from you."  
  
He pulled back. "You didn't expect me to be nice?"  
  
Kel shook her head quickly. "No, that's not what I meant-"  
  
He grinned. "I get it. you just better hope I am as persuasive to Yuki as you were to me."  
  
Kel grinned and hugged him again. She turned and looked at Dom. He still looked completely shocked that she was still going. "You have to understand it at some point." She said quietly. She kissed him.  
  
He looked at her with pleading eyes. "Kel..." he said.  
  
Kel shook her head. "Goodbye, Dom. I'll see you at Neal's wedding." She picked up her pack and walked out of the room.  
  
Neal walked over and stood beside Dom, his hands in his pockets. They both stared out of the door and watched Kel walk away. She didn't look back at them.  
  
"Do you think she'll make it back for your wedding?" Dom asked solemnly.  
  
Neal sighed. "Not a chance."  
  
.................................................................................  
  
I know, I know, it was INCREDIBLY short. You don't need to tell me, I know. I made it so short because: I felt that I needed a new chapter here, and I felt it was fair because I just posted yesterday, and I plan on posting again tomorrow, if not today. So no complaints!!!  
  
Rubber Duck: hey, I did say I figured it out at the end!!!  
  
Trickster-daughter: damn you...I'm in my first year, and I failed!  
  
AJ 4EVA: glad you liked it!  
  
PsychoLioness13: of course!!!! Glad you liked it...  
  
Anonymous:what? Sequel to story...I'm confused. Oh well. And yes, I do have parties and shopping and stuff...I also have lots of stuff to organize, dammit!  
  
Lady Knight Wolfy: yay! I love doing that to people...  
  
Dream Wall: heehee..yay!  
  
Wake-Robin: aw, shucks. You tried.  
  
Hi: thank you! That's actually what I really liked about this story...it was the one I could see remotely happening in the books. Well, some of my other story could, I guess...  
  
Erkith: this is KD, yes...mm... Kraft dinner... yum... I digress. I enjoyed that line as well.  
  
Lady of Masbolle: I'm good, thanks. I'm having some trouble with a runny nose and sneezing, but I think my dad was right...that moldy glass of milk is making me sick...I mean, what moldy glass of milk?!?! He he... no milk here... sorry about that. it's kinda narsty. (yes, the r was on purpose) and I'm so glad you love it.  
  
Ossini: I'm sorry, here is my update.  
  
Tanydwr: ha... I like that. something to do with magic? Or the Industrial Revolution? That's very good. You don't need to apologize for stuff like that with me. I live for random stuff like that.  
  
Alright, I have made a decision. I am not posting another chapter today, because there is so much dust in my house I cannot breathe, and I must spend my day in a movie theatre...I mean outside. I am truly sorry. I will write as fast as I can tomorrow. I'm doe school so I can write every day, if not post every day.  
  
Ok, I just need to put this in: HARRY POTTER 3 IS THE BEST MOVIE IN THE WORLD. DANIEL RADCLIFFE IS MY LOVE. That's all I have to say. I am going to see this movie so many times it's not even going to be funny anymore, even though the first two movies sucked and the books are getting worse and worse. I am just obsessed. Ron was even hot in some of it... (I'm in love with him too...but not Tom Felton...everyone I know is in love with him (draco) but I think the hair in this movie kinda bothered me... oh, and Hermione is BIG FAT SLUT! Not Emma Watson, Hermione. Just watch. If you have as sick a mind as most teenagers, you will see it.)  
  
Wow, that little rant went on for almost as long as the story! Haha...jokes.  
  
Well, farewell. I am off to view Shrek 2. I hear it rocks.  
  
"I'd like to be buried Indian-style, where they put you up on a high rack, above the ground. That way, you could get hit by meteorites and not even feel it."  
  
You know, I don't get that one. Indian style? What the hell?  
  
-unolimbo 


	11. Come back to me

Kel didn't know it, but no one expected her to come back. They tried not to talk about her, but when they did, they spoke of her like they were mourning. Dom asked why they had not followed her, demanding an answer from his reluctant cousin.  
  
"I don't know, Dom. Something in my heart told me not to."  
  
Dom rolled his eyes. "Don't be absurd. Your heart told you nothing."  
  
Neal frowned. "Dom, I know Keladry a hell of a lot better than you do. I know that she would not let us come this time. I know it would be useless."  
  
Dom sighed. "Why not?"  
  
Neal smiled weakly. "She was the one the Chamber spoke to. She feels that she is the only one who can do this. She feels she must stop it herself." He sighed. "I knew that there was nothing I could do."  
  
Dom shook his head in dismay. "I can't believe this. You are supposed to be her best friend. How could you let this happen?"  
  
Neal stood up. "Now just one minute," he said, waving his finger in Dom's face. "This is not my fault. How can you say I did not do my duty as a friend? You are in exactly the same position!"  
  
Dom frowned. "Exactly what position am I in?"  
  
Neal opened his moth to say something, but then closed it. He opened it again, then paused again. "I don't exactly know." He finally said. "What are you. Are you her friend? Are you her fiancé? Are you her lover?"  
  
"I'm nothing anymore." Dom snapped. He sat down on his bed and put his head in his hands. "I don't know what to do."  
  
Neal sat down beside his cousin. "Dom, it will turn out for the best. I know it well." He said.  
  
Dom looked up. "Why are you waiting?" He said, as Yuki opened the door quietly. She smiled weakly at them and sat down beside Neal.  
  
Neal sighed as he put his arm around his fiancée.  
  
"Why are you waiting?" Dom asked again. "You said yourself that she would not come back."  
  
Yuki leaned forward and looked at Dom across Neal. "I don't care if she comes back or not. We will wait for her."  
  
She leaned back and sat up straight. Dom stayed slumped over, his head still in his hands, his elbows on his thighs. Neal just lifted his head enough to stare out the open door. Anyone who watched them would say they looked very comical, sitting in this row. But if an observer looked at their faces, he would see that they were not comical at all. They were sad. Grief stricken, as it were.  
  
Dom looked up. "How can you wait if she will never come back?" He asked quietly.  
  
Yuki did not move. She did not flinch, she did not even blink. "We will wait." She said.  
  
Kel did not know the conversation her friends had weeks before. Yes, weeks had passed since Kel had departed from Corus, but she would not know. She traveled as quickly as she could. She did not know where she was going. She went due north from Corus, and took which ever road her heart led her on, continuing north, then west, then north, then east, then north even more, then west again, finally ending in the north west part of Tortall, very near indeed a place she knew very well.  
  
She was practically at Mindelan. It took all of her Yamani training in self control to stop herself from galloping in. But, she held fast. Days later, she reached the western shore. She stayed at the waters edge for a day, still traveling north, as she was as far west as she could get, watching the horizon for ships or creatures or what not.  
  
Nothing came from the water, so Kel continued north. Soon, she found that there was nowhere to go on the shore, so she turned east again. She did not quite know where she was anymore. But for some reason, even with her tiring horses and quickly dwindling food supply, Kel plowed forward.  
  
She knew she had to find it.  
  
She stopped one night, already deeper into Scanran territory than she had ever been. She sat, a small fire burning in front of her the next morning, shivering in all of her clothes and blankets. Peachblossom whinnied quietly and came and stood beside her so she leaned against his legs. She closed her eyes. "Thank you." She whispered. Jump was curled up in her lap underneath the blankets. He whimpered.  
  
Kel sighed as she bit into a piece of dried jerky. "This is insane. When am I going to find anything?" She said to herself. She had gotten in the habit of talking to herself a week or so earlier to stop herself from going insane.  
  
She took a sip from her mug of cider and closed her eyes. Just as she opened her eyes to take another sip, she noticed something. A thumping in the ground. Was it just her imagination? She looked across the fire at Hoshi as she felt the thumping even more. Hoshi was not moving, nor was Peachblossom. Surely she was imagining it.  
  
Slowly, she placed her mug of cider snugly inn the snow. She stared intently at it as it settled. As she watched, small ripples appeared in the cider.  
  
"Mithros protect." She whispered. She leapt up and quickly looked around. She was near a cliff. She had stayed there the night before specifically so she could not be surrounded and so she could see things below. She scrambled through the snow and stood at the edge of the cliff, breathing heavily from fear of what was coming, and fear of the cliff.  
  
She stood at the edge, looking at what was coming. As far as her view stretched, she could only see two things. Trees, and men.  
  
An army was coming. An army greater than any she had ever seen.  
  
"Mithros protect me." She muttered. She turned around. "Hoshi! Peachblossom! Jump!" She yelled, running towards them. "Pack up camp!"  
  
By the time she ran to her camp, Peachblossom had stamped out her fire, Hoshi had untied both her and Peachblossom, and Jump had thrown her pots and mug into her pack. She threw in her blankets and tied up the sack, tying it onto Peachblossom as fast as she could. She leapt on Hoshi and started at a gallop.  
  
"We can't keep this up." She said both to herself and Jump sitting behind her. "We must stay ahead of them, though."  
  
The army that Kel had seen was unlike any army she had ever seen. They did not walk or ride. They marched. Five thousand strong at least, marching towards Tortall.  
  
And Kel had to get there first.  
  
Going straight south at first, following the right road, she would come straight through to Mindelan.  
  
She did, days later, and she rode straight up to the stables. "My Lady Keladry!" The stable boy said, surprised. "Have you spoken to your mother?"  
  
Kel did not answer. "Give me the two fastest horses. I don't care who's in the family they are, just give them to me!"  
  
The stable boy, looking very scared, quickly gave her two fresh horses. "Tend my horses. They are both exhausted. If I find one of them dead, it will me your head on the line." She said as she got up onto one of the horses. "Who's are they?" She asked.  
  
"Your father's, and Sir Anders'." The boy said timidly.  
  
Kel nodded briskly. "Give my parents my gratitude." She said, and galloped off. Jump barked at the boy from his platform behind her.  
  
Kel's mother was walking down the road as she galloped by. "Keladry? What on earth?" She said.  
  
Kel slowed to a trot. "Mother, I am truly sorry, I cannot stay. But have father send all of the towns able men to Corus immediately, and tell all of the nearby fiefs." She smiled. "Goodbye, mother." She said and galloped off again.  
  
Kel barely slept. She rode her horses for as long as she possibly could, jogging with them when they needed breaks. She slept on the horse, praying that they could stay in a straight line at a trot. If they strayed, Jump was ready to nip at their heels and guide them in the right direction.  
  
Weeks later, again, she reached Corus, still at a gallop. She calculated it in her head as she rode towards the city. She had been traveling for eleven weeks and six days. Three months she had been gone.  
  
She kept galloping into the city, and did not slow, even on the roads that, as she moved closer and closer to the palace, became busier and busier.  
  
She stayed at the same pace to the stables where she slipped off her horses, immediately gave them to Stephan, and ran up to the palace. She did not know where the king would be, but she knew where to start.  
  
She ran, breathing hard against the warm clothes and lack of sleep and food. She pushed the doors of the king's study open. The room was not filled, by any stretch of the imagination, but there were a sufficient number of people. The king rose from his desk when Kel burst in, and Raoul, Buri, Sir Wyldon, Sir Myles, and other turned to look at her, aghast.  
  
"It's here. An army. Very big." She said through cracked lips.  
  
Then she fainted.  
  
"Where is she? Let me see her!"  
  
"Sir, she is unconscious. And you are supposed to be preparing for war!"  
  
"Just let the bloody man in. and while you're at it, let me in too!"  
  
"Sir, this is a place of healing. I cannot allow you to scream like this!"  
  
Kel moved her head, groaning. She knew at least two of those voices. "Who.." she muttered.  
  
"Kel!" Someone cried. She tried to open her eyes, but everything seemed blurry. The two people trying to get in pushed past the orderly and stood over her.  
  
She blinked hard. Slowly, they came into focus. Kel smiled weakly. "Neal. Dom." She said. She lifted her hand and rubbed her eyes. "No, I have to get up, I have to-"  
  
They stopped her as she tried to push herself up. "Kel, lie down." Neal said calmly. "You were half-dead when you got here, as were your horses. You are still in barely a better condition." He pressed his palm to her forehead, and she felt the warmth flow through her. "There." Neal said. "Go back to sleep."  
  
Kel shook her head. "No, I have to speak to the king!"  
  
Neal shushed her. "He knows. Heard it straight from you, you should know. But that doesn't matter! How do you feel?"  
  
Kel frowned. "There is an army coming! It's important!"  
  
Neal sighed. "We know, Kel."  
  
Kel sat up, not letting them stop her. 'This is different, Neal. You don't understand. They were nothing like I have ever seen before. They were so organized. They were organized even when they were walking here, let alone when they were fighting! I never even saw them fight, and I was terrified. They will be here any day now! Almost five thousand of them!"  
  
Neal looked worried, but tried to put it off. "We can handle them. This is not like at New Hope or anything. We have an army here, and many knights, and good defences. We will be fine!"  
  
Kel sighed. "How long have I been here?" She asked.  
  
"Only a few hours." Dom said. It was the first thing he had said.  
  
Kel sighed again. "How long do I need to sleep before I can fight again?" She asked.  
  
Neal frowned. "A day. At the very least. But I really don't think you should-"  
  
Kel held up her hand. "Tell the orderly to wake me up first thing in the morning. I want to be ready for this army. And yes, you need me. The Chamber did not call on me just to be a messenger."  
  
Neal sighed and put his hand on her shoulder. "If I don't see you, be careful."  
  
Kel smiled. "You be careful too." She said weakly. She felt his healing tiring her.  
  
"I'll be one minute, Neal." Dom said. Neal nodded to him and walked out of the room.  
  
Dom sat down in the chair beside her bed and held her hand. "Hi." He smiled.  
  
Kel smiled back. "Hi."  
  
Dom rubbed her hand. He squeezed his lips, and his eyes started to water. He brushed his face with the back of his hand. "Dom..." She put her hand to his face.  
  
He shook his head. "I thought you were dead. We all did. Yuki said she would not get married until you got back, but Neal said he didn't think you would, but they didn't change their minds. They said they would wait. Everyone just prayed that we would get you back."  
  
Kel smiled. "I came back. Don't worry."  
  
Dom took a deep breath. "Sorry." He said, chuckling. "Where did they come from?" He asked, completely serious now.  
  
Kel sighed. "I don't quite know. They were not Scanran, or at least not only Scanran. There is no Scanran who could organize that well, and I don't think there are that many Scanrans there. I think they came from even further north. Or from across the sea. I don't know what is out there."  
  
Dom nodded. "If it is five thousand men, why did the Chamber say it was so important? I mean, yes, that is a lot of men, but I think we can deal with it."  
  
Kel frowned. "I don't quite know. But Dom, Neal is right, I need to rest." She smiled at him. "I'll find you first thing in the morning." She said.  
  
He stood up, but Kel caught his hand. "Dom." She said. he leaned down and kissed her passionately.  
  
"I missed you." Kel whispered.  
  
Dom smiled. "I'm glad you're back."  
  
.........................................................................  
  
PsychoLioness13: thanks. I actually thought it was kind of bittersweet...  
  
Dream Wall: sweet!  
  
Wake-Robin: obviously she will. I saw Shrek 2 today...wasn't very good. It was cute, yes, but not as incredibly hilarious as everyone said. Puss in boots rocked though. He made the movie.  
  
Lady Knight Wolfy: no, no he's not. I decided against it...it's just what everyone does, including me. He did it, like, three times in my other two stories combined.  
  
Ossini: thanks!  
  
Ally: ah, live with it. (sorry, it 3 in the morning...getting kinda grumpy...)  
  
Fyliwion: I don't usually. I know nothing about them, as I have not read the Daine books...maybe I will someday.  
  
Artemis Terankia Ryann: what? No...they were attacked by Scanra (I messed up numbers...must fix that...) and the fighting at the beginning was training. No one killed there own. No own killing involved.  
  
Well, that's it for tonight. It is way past my bedtime, hope it was worth it. (the scene when Kel came back and the scene when Dom was crying made me cry...but that could also be that it is 3 o'clock in the morning...)  
  
Enjoy!  
  
"If I lived back in the wild west days, instead of carrying a six-gun in my holster, I'd carry a soldering iron. That way, if some smart-aleck cowboy said something like "Hey, look. He's carrying a soldering iron!" and started laughing, and everybody else started laughing, I could just say, "That's right, it's a soldering iron. The soldering iron of justice." Then everybody would get real quiet and ashamed, because they had made fun of the soldering iron of justice, and I could probably hit them up for a free drink."  
  
-unolimbo 


	12. Not waiting anymore

Kel was asleep before Dom reached the door. She slept with fitful dreams all afternoon, until a healer noticed and put a spell on her for a dreamless sleep. She woke late the next day, and was angered to find that no one had woken her as early as she had asked.  
  
She sat up in her bed, finding it much easier to do than the day before. Slowly, she pushed herself out of bed and stretched her legs.  
  
"Lady Keladry!" One of the healers said, walking into the room. "You cannot be up and about yet!"  
  
Kel frowned. "Neal told me I could leave this morning. Seeing as it is almost afternoon, I feel I may as well leave!" She said. The healer opened his mouth to argue, but Kel held up her hand. "Not a chance." She said. "I'm going." With that, she hobbled out the door.  
  
Kel went straight back to her rooms and put on a fresh change of clothes. She stretched her legs and did a very quick pattern dance with her glaive to warm up, then went in search of her friends.  
  
She found them at the knights armoury. "What is going on?" Kel demanded.  
  
Neal turned. 'Kel, I'm sorry. But we have so much to prepare for! And you needed your sleep."  
  
Kel sighed. "Fine. Do you know how far they are?"  
  
Merric, working beside Neal, nodded. "Yep," he said. "They are going to be here by sundown tomorrow."  
  
Kel was surprised. "I was that fast?"  
  
Merric shrugged, inspecting a helmet right at his face. "It's not that hard to be faster than an army on foot."  
  
Kel sighed. "I'm just glad I have time to recuperate."  
  
Neal looked her in the eye. "Kel, be proud. If it were not for you, we would not know at all, and we would be in a really big hole."  
  
Kel smiled. "You would, wouldn't you."  
  
She looked around the armoury. Everyone looked comfortable. They were all experienced knights, who had seen many wars, and owned their own weapons and armour. They were already prepared.  
  
But if Kel had been in the soldiers armoury, she would have seen the fear in men's eyes. Hundreds of men flooding in to get their weapons to keep for the next day, all cramming into the large rooms, the smell of fear in the air, the room quiet with anticipation. Or so she thought.  
  
Kel organized her weapons quickly. She then went to the stables, where she was met with a most unpleasant surprise.  
  
She had left Peachblossom at Mindelan. She had no war horse.  
  
"Bloody hell." She muttered. She marched back up to the palace and walked straight to King Jon's office.  
  
"I'm busy." His voice came through the door when she knocked.  
  
Kel closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, it's Keladry. I need to speak with you."  
  
Kel heard a shuffling, and the door opened. The king stared at her. "Yes?" He said.  
  
"I left my horses at Mindelan." She said, getting straight to the point. She hoped that was what he wanted her to do. "I don't have a war horse until I get them back."  
  
Jon sighed. "Alright. Go to the Training Master, ask if you can borrow one of his students horses. It is up to him whether he gives you one or not. And it is up to him to decide who's horse you get. You are not to argue his choices."  
  
Kel nodded, then bowed. "Thank you, your majesty." He nodded to her, and she turned and walked down the hall to the training master's office.  
  
"Come in." A gruff voice said.  
  
Kel opened the door. "My lord." She bowed, and he bowed in return. "The king sent me to you. I left my horses I Mindelan on my way here, because they were dying from the ride. The horses that I brought here were in no way war horses. I was told to ask you for one of your students horses."  
  
He nodded. Kel looked him over. He was shorter than her, by at least three inches, but he still held a presence. His dark skin had no scars like Wyldon's, but it was wrinkled from many years of life. His uniform was impeccable, even when he was just working in his office.  
  
"I shall ask my students for a volunteer this evening at dinner. I should invite you to be my guest."  
  
She didn't have time to be a dinner guest at the school, and she didn't have time to wait for a volunteer! But, being the proper Yamani and the proper knight she was, she nodded and bowed in thanks.  
  
She kicked the wall outside of her room, but that didn't help. It just made her toe hurt. She stormed into her room and threw herself onto her bed. It felt surprisingly normal. After almost three months of dreaming of her bed, it didn't feel like she had remembered it.  
  
Lying on her bed, feeling it's normalcy, Kel realized what she was doing. She had done all of this work to tell the king about this army, and now, no one was quite taking her seriously. She had to do something. At the rate the Tortallans were going, they would be caught lounging by the river when an army came to kill them all.  
  
She sat up and looked outside. It was no later than two o'clock. She still had time. She ran back down to the stables and found Stephan.  
  
"Stephan!" She called out.  
  
"Yes, Lady Keladry?" He said quietly, popping up behind her.  
  
Kel almost jumped. "I need a horse. I know you don't have any spare war horses, I just need any horse."  
  
He looked at her. "Why?" He asked.  
  
Kel frowned, but Stephan had the presence that let him ask questions of anyone. "I want to go out for a ride. I don't have a horse."  
  
Stephan nodded. "Very well, Lady Keladry." He disappeared through a doorway into the main part of the stables and emerged with a sad looking horse.  
  
"He's old, yes, but he's still strong." Stephan said.  
  
Kel smiled. "I don't doubt him. I've heard of worse." She said, taking the reins. "Thank you." She turned back to Stephan. "Has Daine talked to him?"  
  
The man smiled. "Of course."  
  
Kel left the horse in the stables and went to get her armour. She knew she was silly to go without a proper war horse, but it would be insane to go without her armour.  
  
She picked up some of her remaining griffin feather arrows to make sure she shot the people she needed to shoot, and wrapped her griffin feather band around her forehead, just in case.  
  
"Kel!" Someone yelled. Kel took a deep breath and kept walking in a straight line. She was not stopping for anyone.  
  
Owen ran up to her. "Kel! I called you, didn't you hear?"  
  
Kel did not look at him. "I heard you, Owen."  
  
His face fell. "Oh." He said quietly. "Where are you going?" He asked, noticing her armour.  
  
"I have a war to fight, Owen."  
  
His eyes grew large. 'But Kel, they aren't coming until tomorrow!"  
  
"Owen, we don't have to just wait for them."  
  
He stopped walking. Kel kept going. "You can't be..." he whispered.  
  
Kel bit back tears. She would not stop. Owen ran to catch up with her again. "Kel, that's insane! You can't go out there yourself!"  
  
Kel kept walking. "Yes I can, Owen. And I will." She said, her voice cracking with tears that she was still biting back.  
  
"I have no effect on you, do I!" Owen snapped, and walked off in the other direction. Kel had never heard him angry.  
  
Owen stormed off to Dom's room. "Dom, open up!" He said.  
  
Dom opened the door. "Owen. You're not smiling." He said, looking confused.  
  
Owen frowned. "You might want to know that Kel is on her way to kill herself." He said.  
  
"What?" Dom cried.  
  
Owen nodded. "I tried to stop her, but she thinks that she is the only one who can do this. She won't listen to me."  
  
Dom groaned. "Thanks, Owen. I've got to go."  
  
He ran down to the stables and caught up with Kel just as she was getting to the stables. "Kel!" He said, slowing down and trying to catch his breath. "I didn't even know you were up, and you're going off to get yourself killed?"  
  
Kel looked at him. "I am going to save Tortall." She said. "If that kills me, so be it."  
  
Dom grabbed her by the shoulders. "Kel, this is insane! The king said you had free use of any men or weapons you wanted."  
  
Kel glared. "Well, he didn't seem to feel that way about horses, so I assumed men would be the same."  
  
Dom sighed. "Kel, I know I can't stop you from doing this, but can you wait an hour for me to gather some men?"  
  
Kel looked at him. He looked scared for her. Kel couldn't feel it through her armour, but she could see his hands shaking slightly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Fine." She said. "If you are not here in one hour, I am leaving without you."  
  
Dom hugged her. "Just wait, please." He said, and ran back up the hill to find Raoul.  
  
As the bell rang from the tower marking the hour, Kel found that she had a small battalion assembled.  
  
She looked around. Almost fifty men, most of them from the Own, as well as some of her friends.  
  
"You always come." She muttered.  
  
Raoul walked up to her and put his arm around her. "Well, Commander, I hear your horse is not adequate for this trip. I think we will have to do something about that."  
  
He led her around the main stables to the Own's stables. "I think I have a few spares." He said, presenting her with a fresh war horse. "And yes, Daine spoke to her."  
  
Kel smiled. "Maybe waiting for Dom was not such a bad idea. What is his name?" She asked.  
  
He shrugged. "It's up to you."  
  
Kel glared at him. "Now I have to think of something."  
  
Raoul handed her the reins. "You have the entire ride to think about that." He said, and disappeared with his horse.  
  
Kel sighed. "Welcome to the family, Apple." She said. "I think that's as detailed as I'm going to get. Apple."  
  
She led the horse out to the waiting men. "Alright." She said, in her most commanding voice. "We are going to stay at a fast trot down the main road. The sparrows," the sparrows fluttered down to her. "will stay ahead as warning, just as they always do. I hope you are all ready for this."  
  
She threw herself onto her horse and started at a trot. Jump ran alongside the horse. It looked slightly agitated that he was there, but did not make any moves to step on him.  
  
They rode for almost two hours before there was any signs. The lead sparrows came flying at Kel, making the sign for enemy. Dom assigned a scout to climb the highest tree. He was up there for fifteen minutes.  
  
"There are 5000 men, just as Lady Keladry said. They are incredibly organized. And they are about half an hour away, if we ride towards them. An hour if we wait." He tucked his spyglass away and slid down the tree.  
  
Kel thought about it. She looked around. Small cliffs, only ten metres high, but still a great height for Kel, lined the road at one point. They were about twenty metres apart, large enough for the army to walk through without going up the sides. It was perfect.  
  
"I want thirty men on the cliffs with bows. You shoot when the first men are just at the end of the cliffs. If you shoot too early, they will back up and all of them will be able to climb up. If you shoot too late, they will be too far through, and they will be able to continue through. And aim carefully. When you run out of arrows, go down the hill and around the cliffs to fight the men that try to push their way around the cliffs to get to the archers. And I want ten men, five on each side, doing that in the first place.  
  
"I want ten people to be a barricade at the end. The second the first arrow flies, you ten go to the front and stop them from going through. The other ten or so men, you will go around and attack from the back. Hopefully we can squeeze most of them into this area, making it an easy defeat.  
  
"If anyone is injured, go to the cliff on the east side of the road. Neal will be there performing healings.  
  
"I will send the sparrows if something is wrong. If the sparrows signal to retreat, listen to them! They will only say that on my order. If they tell you to look at me, look at me, and I will signal you that the plans are changed, or what ever it is. I will be on the cliff with the archers, east side. Raoul will be leading the barricade, Merric will be leading the attack at the back, and Dom will be leading the archers on the west side. As I already said, Neal will be healing on the east side. Any questions?"  
  
She looked around at all the men. They all looked as determined as her. "There is only one thing left for me to do." She said. "I have to go see if they've got any magic." Just as she took off her helmet to adjust her griffin band, Dom snatched it off her head.  
  
"That is what Goode is for. He is a scout. And he isn't scared of heights."  
  
Kel frowned. "I'm fine." She said, reaching for the band.  
  
Dom raised an eyebrow. "We don't want you vomiting up your lunch. You need that sustenance." He smiled. "Besides, by the time you got to the top, the enemy would be here."  
  
Kel glared at him. "Fine." She growled. "Everyone to you places! Goode, you are going to be on the east side, so you can tell me what you see."  
  
He nodded. Dom tossed him the griffin band and he climbed quickly up the tree. It was true, by the time he was climbing down, Kel would still have been on her way up.  
  
"My Lady," he said, when he came to rest beside her. "There is magic involved. They are as organized as they looked, but we have a few more things to worry about."  
  
Kel winced. "They have more men, don't they."  
  
He shook his head. "Not many, but they are on creatures. I did not know what all of them were, but they seemed to be immortals. I saw spidrens, hurroks, dragons, even griffins, basilisks, a few Stormwings in the air, three tauros, and a few ogres. There were at least three I have never seen.  
  
"It was nothing like I had ever seen, My Lady." He said. "They did not look like they wanted war. They looked strange. I think they are being controlled."  
  
Kel cut him off. "Thank you, Goode." She said to the rambling scout. "go to the end of the line and get ready." She looked across the valley at Dom. He was not looking at her. She waved her arm. "Dom!" She hissed.  
  
He looked up at her, and she signalled for him to come over. Looking confused, he nodded and disappeared behind the hill of the cliff. A moment later, he appeared by her side.  
  
"Do you have any of those griffin feather arrows I gave you?"  
  
"Yeah, three, why?" He said.  
  
"Pull the feathers off one arrow and give them to you and your two best archers. I am going to give my feathers away as well. There is a lot of magic here. And a lot of immortals."  
  
He frowned. "How many?"  
  
Kel shrugged. "I don't know. About fifty, maybe a hundred. I just know its too many. Look, we don't have time for discussion. Just give men the feathers, I'm going to give some to Raoul. You go to Merric, alright? And please, stay hidden!"  
  
He nodded and they split off in different directions. After explaining it to Raoul, Kel ran back to her spot where she set up her glaive, sword, and axes beside her, and strung her bow.  
  
Now all they had to do was wait for the army over one hundred times their size.  
  
.....................................................................................................  
  
I am so evil. I love it!  
  
Well, I hope to update soon...but I'm pretty busy this week. What are you all going to do when I go to camp?  
  
Lady of Masbolle: weird. Glad you like it. And no more cold! Yay! I think it was allergies, actually...  
  
Tanydwr: actually, it took her a while, at least for my writing. It took three or four chapters to reveal what it was, did it not? And then one chapter covered three months...  
  
Rubber Duck: thank you! five...wow. that's a lot. Actually, I plan to see Harry Potter at least that many times, so... you live in Aussie land? That's cool...I want to go there. It's crazy...because of my school's exchanges, I know people all over the world, and now I know four people in Australia. Just my little piece of random information. Anyway, they've sent me pictures and stuff...and it looks so cool! (I also fell in love with it watching the Olympics)  
  
Fyliwion: I will, some day. I just have about twenty five books to read this summer, and they are all serious books... I've got the Stone Angel, Such a Long Journey, Dance of the Happy Shades, Barney's Version, and way too many more to list off. I think I actually have twenty five to read. I'm really going off on some serious tangents today, aren't I?  
  
Wake-Robin: I don't quite know...  
  
Mage Light: I have been working really hard, trying to make up for the two months I will be gone...  
  
AJ 4EVA: danke. Glad you liked it.  
  
Lonewolf etc.: she never said there weren't.  
  
Lady Knight Wolfy: well, I think that everything the animals do is unbelievable. There will be more romance, at some point. I just have trouble putting romance and action together, but when I don't, I get these waves of romance, then action, then back again, and they really bother me.  
  
Lady of Masbolle: cool. That is my goal. It means you are engrossed in it. Thanks!  
  
Tricksters-daughter: thank you.  
  
Well, that is all for today (or at least now).  
  
I am going to say this in every chapter that I post, in case I don't get another out: I will be leaving for camp in a week and a half, and then no more chapters for any stories for over two months. So sorry. I'll try not to leave you on a cliffhanger. (wouldn't it be funny if this was the last chapter I got up?...)  
  
"I bet when the Neanderthal kids would make a snowman, someone would always end up saying, "Don't forget the thick, heavy brows." Then they would all get embarrassed because they remembered they had the big hunky brows too, and they'd get mad and eat the snowman."  
  
-unolimbo 


	13. The battle of a lifetime

"Kel!" Neal came and crouched beside her. Kel, lying on her stomach, her strung bow still hidden, motioned for him to be silent. "Kel!" He whispered again. "This is completely insane. We cannot fight 5000 men and over 50 immortals. We must retreat."

Kel looked across the valley to the men with Dom. She looked down at the back of the cliffs where she knew Merric was. She looked forward to Raoul.

"Kel, these men will be slaughtered." He said softly. "Do you really want to be the one to go home to their wives to tell them that their husbands are dead?" He put his hand on her shoulder. "Do you even want to be alive for that?"

Kel put her head in her hand. "I have to, Neal, this is what I was supposed to do."

Neal shook his head. "No it's not. The Chamber told you that you would stop it, that you would be responsible for it. not that you would be killed. If we do this, they will slaughter us and go straight on to Corus, where no one will know about the immortals. Do you want that?"

Kel sighed. "Fine. We will retreat. Get your things."

She whistled for the sparrows, who came over to her immediately. "Signal to the leaders." She whispered. "And fast."

They flew frantically in three different directions. Kel looked at the trail. She could not see them yet, but hey had to be getting closer. A moment later, Raoul, Dom, and Merric all signalled that they were listening. Kel made the sign for retreat, and surprisingly, all three of them nodded and disappeared to tell their men.

"They didn't do this to fight. They did this to help me." She muttered.

Her sparrow scout flew up to her and landed on her palm. He tapped it three times. "Three minutes, and they will be here!" Kel said, not worrying about silence. "We have a long way to go!"

She clamoured up onto Apple. She then rode down to where Raoul's men were. "Alright," she said when everyone was there. "We ride fast. Let's go!"

She started off at a gallop, and kept it up for almost an hour back to Corus. Apple was tired, but she would be fine after a little rest. Kel wasn't worried.

She was, though, worried about that very large army that was getting closer and closer to the palace.

Raoul insisted that Kel rested while he told the king what they had seen. "You still look exhausted from two days ago! You don't need to do everything. Now go and rest!"

Kel agreed reluctantly. She did not get any rest, though. As soon as she had gotten into her room and taken off her armour, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in." She said. Dom stepped in. Kel smiled at him. "I'm sorry we had to come back."

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter that much to me. In fact, I'm sort of glad we came back. I know we're a lot safer here."

Kel nodded. "I guess. It's just aggravating. I've been working so hard for this, and no one is taking me seriously." She sighed. "I guess sometimes you have to sit back and take what is coming to you."

Dom sat down beside her. "it's not that we are just letting it happen, we just aren't looking for the trouble."

Kel chuckled. "I do that a lot, don't I."

Dom smiled. "That's what makes us love you."

Kel raised an eyebrow. "You love me because you know I'm going to get myself killed soon?"

Dom winced. "That wasn't the best thing to say."

Kel kissed him. "It was fine. Not a problem."

By the time Dom left Kel's room, an alarm had gone off in the castle. The bells were ringing from the keeps, and the soldiers were called to the armoury. Knights were called to the throne room, as were the sergeants of the King's Own.

King Jon called Kel over to him when she stepped into the room. "Keladry, Raoul explained everything to me," He said, and Kel nodded. "But you know the story better than both of us combined. Thus, I want you to explain it to everyone. Now, you are still just summarizing, in fact, you only have a moment or two, so please summarize the important information. "Oh, and Keladry," he added, Raoul told me about the magic, Daine has been dispatched to retrieve as many griffin feathers as possible, and Numair is working on uncovering their shields."

Kel nodded again, and was given a moment to collect her thoughts before all of the knights and sergeants arrived. Moments later, the room was completely filled.

"Ahem." Kel said, and everyone looked up at her. When they did, Kel realized something: everyone was actually paying attention to her. she had worked so hard to make a difference, and people were finally acknowledging it. She quickly realized that she was standing in front of a crowd, and before she looked silly for waiting too long, she had launched into a summary of her story.

The second she finished, Wyldon stood up and began to explain the plan. It was basically the exact plan that Kel had thought they had organized the day before, at it did not make her happy. She frowned, and Dom, sitting beside her, squeezed her hand.

Moments later, they were sent to prepare. They had less than an hour before the army would be upon them.

Kel was one of the first knights ready, as she was already completely prepared, she just needed to put her armour back on. She went to her post, at the end of the city wall, immediately. Neal was posted only steps away from her, in a protected alcove that Numair set up that he could shoot from, while still being completely covered from the outside so he could perform emergency healings, if needed. She stepped into the alcove and sat down with a sigh.

He smiled weakly. "You ready for this?"

Kel smiled. "I have been prepared for this for weeks," she said, "but that doesn't mean I'm ready. I don't think I'll ever be ready."

Neal took her by the hand and she felt her stress slip away. He winked at her. "Don't tell anyone I did that." He said. "I could get in trouble for 'wasting my magic.'"

Kel grinned, feeling much better. "I won't tell a soul." She stood up. "I have to go to my post," She said, "but if you need anything, come and get me, okay?"

Neal raised an eyebrow. "Keladry," he said loftily, "why ever would I need your help?"

Kel smiled and rolled her eyes. "I was just saying." She said.

Neal stood up. "Good luck." He said, holding out his hand. Kel ignored it and hugged him. "I'll see you in a while. And I hope it's after the battle is over."

Neal nodded. "I whole heartedly agree."

Kel smiled and went back outside. She was commanding the archers on her section of the wall, and she looked over them. Competent fighters, all of them, soldiers from the army, as well as three first and second year knights.

They looked up at her with great expectations. The soldiers looked as well. They were looking for support.

Kel smiled. "I have made enough speeches about this war, and I can do nothing to support you. Only you can support yourself."

They nodded, looking grave. Just at that moment, an eagle flew overhead. It was Daine, and hanging underneath her was a small pouch. Kel knew it was filled with griffin feathers. Daine landed on the wall beside Kel and transformed back into herself. Kel was surprised; Daine was normally not willing to transform in front of others, especially not strangers.

"Here you are, Kel." She said, giving Kel a small handful of feathers, enough for all her men. "Bring your extras to me." She said, and ran down the wall to the next commander.

"These feathers are your saviour." Kel said. "Wear them on your forehead, and for god's sake, do not try to pocket them. It is not worth your life."

Kel looked out at the forest. Any moment now, she would be able to see men coming. Nothing came. Men sat leaning against the wall, chatting. Setting defences slowed down, and Kel was afraid that women would start popping out of safe houses to find what the lack of commotion was.

While most of the men relaxed, Kel stayed exactly the way she was, leaning against the wall, looking intently through a turret. She did wonder where her enemy was. They should have arrived an hour ago.

Neal approached her. "Maybe we just have the wrong schedule." He said. "Take a break, Kel. You deserve it."

"I deserve a lot of things." Kel said, not looking away. "But that doesn't mean I can give everything up to get them."

Neal sighed. "Kel, you are going to tire yourself out! Besides, who knows how long it will be before they actually get here?"

"I do." Kel said calmly. "They should be in shooting distance in about twenty-five minutes." She turned and looked at him.

Neal frowned. "And how would you know that?" He asked sceptically.

Kel looked him in the eye. "Because they along the Olorun, at the crossroads, which is a fifteen minute ride from here."

Neal blanched.

Kel ignored him and ran to the side of her wall. "Raoul!" She called out. He looked up at her expectantly. "They are along the Olorun!" She cried. "At the crossroads!" Raoul made the calls as well, and soon, every man knew.

Now they were truly ready. Every man stood at his post, hidden behind turrets, so that it looked like no one was waiting. They all stood ready to fire, just waiting for their commanders permission to shoot.

The army marched to the closet point they could reach without the Tortallans being able to shoot at them. Their coming shook the ground. The army stopped just further than Kel's men could shoot. Kel silently cursed them for it.

They banged staffs on the ground, calling the Tortallans out. But everyone in the city's walls knew the plan. No one moved, except for Kel. She stood up on a small platform that held her above the turrets.

The banging stopped.

Kel looked forward, and knew that the greatest battle of her life was about to begin.

Sorry...don't have time for notes, I will write everything else in my next chapter...it should be up today.

-unolimbo


	14. Lead the horse to water

Sorry, don't have time to change it earlier on. I wanted it to be 20,000 men, roughly. Not 5000. thanks. Sorry, no time, ill fix it everywhere else later.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

She stood looking at her enemy. "You dare to attack the city of Corus?" She shouted. "You think you have the power to defeat us?"

No one said anything. Kel stayed where she was. She signalled to the archers, and they all raised their bows, arrows drawn back. Kel held her sword tightly in her hand. She did not look down, knowing she would probably vomit if she did.

The attackers knew that nothing would happen unless they approached. Suddenly, they surged forward, bows and swords drawn, battle cries in their throats.

Kel swung down her sword towards them. "Fire!" She yelled. More shouts of "Fire!" Echoed through the city walls.

Kel quickly jumped down from where she was and drew back her bow. She fired three shots, killing three men on horseback.

Dragons and griffins were circling overhead, but not making any move. They were waiting for something.

As she was about to fire her fourth arrow, she felt a rush of cold air and a whisper at her shoulder. She quickly loosed the arrow and sighed. "Not again." She muttered.

She didn't move, waiting for the Chamber to speak.

You are the only one.

Kel listened intently. The only one for what?

They are waiting for you. Lead the horse to the water.

Kel closed her eyes.

Make it walk on it.

The cold air slowly disappeared, taking the whispering voice with it. Kel did not open her eyes until it was gone. When she did, she knew exactly what to do.

She got up and ran to the stairs, taking them two at a time. She grumbled as she went down. "Does it think I like doing these things alone? Does it think this is what I've always wanted to do? Why the hell does it keep trying to kill me?

"Where is Apple?" She said, loudly now. Raoul pointed to her horse, just slightly behind his.

"Where are you going?" He demanded.

Kel shook her head and sighed. "Damned if I know." She said. "I will just have to figure it out when I get to it."

Before Raoul could say anything, Kel was on her horse and riding to the northern gate of the city.

The northern gate was really just a large door. It had the same protection as the main southern gate, a second door in the wall in front, off set from the inner door, so enemies could not knock down the inner door. There were twenty men guarding the door, just in case anyone made it there, or even knew it existed.

"Open the doors." Kel said.

They stared at her. "But our orders were to watch it-"

"Well, your new orders are to let me out. And if your scout sees me coming back, have the door open a crack, ready for me. I will probably have an army behind me."

They nodded, looking scared, and opened the door.

Kel rode out and around the city. She had to get around to the front of they city without tiring her horse. She had a long trek in front of her. Standing at the edge of the forest, she waited for the army to notice her. Slowly, they acknowledged her presence, as far as she could tell. Suddenly, all of the immortals circling the castle turned towards her. The only ones that did not come were the ogres that were trying to break down the city doors.

"Great," Kel muttered. "They give me the immortals. I didn't think I would be that important."

As they got closer to her, she leaned down to Apple. "You ready for this?" She whispered.

Her horse responded by rearing up in the air. Kel gave him a kick, and they were off towards the forest, the immortals hot on their heels. 

Kel galloped as fast as her horse could go. She could hear the shriek and scurry of the Spidren, see the grey of Stormwings, feel the heat of the dragons fire.

She rode into a thick patch of forest, and there were no immortals. She pulled out her bow and strung it. There was a sound coming from the trees she had come out of. She trained her arrow on them. Suddenly, a Tauros leapt out at her. She fired the arrow at his head, and he fell to the ground. It only found her because it could smell her, but would that lead the others to her?

She got her answer only seconds later when a Hurrok rode out. She shot it immediately, but it did not fall. She shot another arrow, and it collapsed. She shot down two Stormwings, but the rest of the immortals had found her. It was time to move.

She galloped forward, but this time, she had enough room that she could sit up and fire at them. After almost an hour of running, she had shot down the four immortals she did at first, plus two Spidrens. She was part way through both a griffin and a dragon by this time. They were the most dangerous of the immortals chasing her. They were the fastest, the strongest, the smartest.

She had shot three arrows into the dragons underside, but it was strong there, for some reason. She aimed a fourth arrow, but just as she loosed it, a griffin dove down. Apple wrenched out of the way, but the griffin dug its claws through her armour and into her shoulder. She cried out. Her bow was useless to her now, she could not hold it up. She could hold the reins with her left hand, barely, and use her sword with her right.

What she really needed was to get back to the city. She rode in a large arc through the forest, hoping the immortals would not realize she was trying to turn around. When she was facing the right direction, she took out her sword. She did not kill any more immortals, but she did stop them from killing her.

She swung and stabbed with no avail. They just kept coming. She had narrowed the number down to about 40, but there was still a swarm of them.

Lead them to water.

Lead them to water. Had that just been a metaphor? Or was she really supposed to lead them to water? The only thing she could think to do was drive them towards the Olorun. Again, she turned around. She had to do this quickly. Apple was getting tired, and would not last much longer at that speed. In her arc, she caught sight of the battle that was raging at the city's gates. The Tortallans were doing wonderfully. There had been at least 20,000 men when Kel had left, but now there were no more than 10 thousand. She glanced at the sun. She had been gone at least four hours already. How had that happened?

She didn't have time to think. She just had time to ride.

She knew she was riding to the Olorun, but she searched her memory for where along the Olorun. She needed somewhere that she could get across, but the immortals could not. Where would that be? And even if she did find it, she would still have the problem of the immortals with wings. There certainly were a lot of them.

She decided just to make for the river and see how it turned out. She rode far down the river, searching for the appropriate point. After riding far along the river, past rapids and smooth waters, she came to such a point. And all she had to do was finish the job.

-----

She is the only one.

Wait for her.

She will lead the horse to water. She will make it walk.

Jon looked around him to find the owner of the voice, but it sounded far too eerily familiar.

"Jonathan? Is there something wrong?" Raoul said. "What is it?"

"What? Oh, no," the king said, looking pensive. "I just thought of something I had not thought of before. Carry on."

Raoul nodded. "As I was saying, we have men posted on the walls, all around, and two squads of the Own, plus 5000 men on the ground, ready to go out. We have many men in reserve, as well. We just had no room for them out here."

Before the king could answer, Keladry of Mindelan came rushing down the stairs. "Where is Apple?" She asked, not even noticing the king standing there.

"Where are you going?" Raoul asked as he pointed Apple out.

"Damned if I know." Said Keladry. "I will just have to figure it out when I get there."

Before the king or Raoul could say anything, Kel was gone.

Jon sighed. "Raoul, how many men do you have in reserve?"

Raoul looked at him, confused. "About 15,000, my lord. Only about 5000 are ready. They will be brought out as soon as we leave the gates, if we do."

Jon shook his head. "That's not what I want them for." He paused. "I know. Take as many of the Own, and experienced soldiers as you need. Go to the river. Wait there."

Raoul looked at him, confused. "Jon, are you alright?"

"Don't question me, fool!" Jon snapped. "Just do it!"

Raoul bowed his head and got back on his horse. He whistled to the Own. As they came towards him, he turned back to the king. "How many do I need, majesty?" He asked.

Jon sighed. "As many as you think you need to kill fifty immortals."

-----

Kel rode as fast as she could to the bridge. She knew it well. When traveling over it, only one horse and carriage could go across at once, as it was old and decrepit. It did not lead through major roads any more, and people avoided it almost all the time. It was dangerous. Kel was glad that the kingdom had been to busy with the war to repair the bridge.

"Come on, Apple." She said. "We are almost there, I promise you I will give you the biggest apple and the longest scrub down I can possibly manage when we get through this."

Apple did not seem to hear her. He just kept going, pushing towards the bridge. It was about a kilometre away. Seven hundred and fifty metres away. Apple was slowing down. "Go, Apple!" Kel cried. The horse pushed further, breathing heavily, stumbling often.

Five hundred metres away. Kel crouched down behind Apple's head, keeping out of the wind. The horse gained a tiny amount of speed.

Two hundred and fifty metres away. They were moving too slowly. The immortals would catch up with them soon, and they would not be across the bridge in time. Knowing that if she did not get it right, it would be the death of her, Kel took out her sword and took a quick look behind her. A griffin was coming down to her. She kept her sword hidden, then stabbed it in the foot as it came to her. It screeched in pain, then flew back again. They had room to get over the bridge.

Taking a long turn. Apple galloped over the bridge.

Ten metres to go. Kel could see the details in the ground on the other side; smell the trees.

Five metres to go. Something happened. Kel was not sure what. It could have been that an immortal caught up with them, it could have been that Apple tripped.

The last thing Kel remembered was flying off of her horse towards the clear ground at the other side of the bridge.

"Kel!" Was the only thing she heard.

"Stop, sergeant. We can deal with her after!" Raoul shouted. The immortals had tried to get over the bridge, and it had broken under their collective weight. At least fifteen immortals on the bridge, and it collapsed. One made a final leap to the side of the river, but one of the men cut off it's head.

They fought until they had killed all of the remaining immortals, except for two dragons. They were large, larger than anyone had ever seen. Many of them had never seen a dragon in the first place.

One of them dodged a rain of arrows shot up at it and swooped down, grabbing something.

"What did it take?" Someone shouted.

"I can't tell! Shoot it!"

Everyone prepared to shoot, but a voice rang out. "Don't shoot!" Raoul yelled.

Hanging from the great beasts two claws was an unconscious knight.

Kel.

"It's flying back to Corus!" Someone shouted.

Raoul swore. "Follow it! I don't care if you have to go to the next bridge, don't let it out of your sight!" He and Dom galloped down the side of the river, leading their squads, chasing the dragons.

"What the hell is it going to do ?"

Dom looked up, squinting from the dust caking in his eyes. "They are taking her back."

They rode behind the dragons back to the city.

They had to get Kel before the dragon got back to the city.

But the dragons were not going directly back to Corus. They were going to a small cleared patch of trees deep in the forest.

"I can't see anything. You?" Dom said, when they slowed down in the thick of the forest.

Raoul shook his head. "I think it might be magicked."

Dom swore. "What are we going to do?"

Someone laughed behind them. "That is what I am here for." They looked back. Numair Salmalin was standing behind them.

They moved their horses over for him to pass. With barely a wave of his hand, they could see everything.

Somehow, the mage performing the magic noticed. He turned towards them, surprised. "Leave here." He said quickly.

Numair frowned. "You should know better," he said, "than to talk to your superior like that."

The man shook his head. "I may be your inferior, but she is not." He said.

Numair narrowed his eyes at the man. "Who are you?"

The man looked warily at them, then glanced behind him. Finally, he spoke. "My name is Hagen. I am a mage for the Scanrans." He looked at them, scared. "She is Rhian. She is a great mage. She learned how to tame the immortals. No, not tame. Enslave. There is nothing they can do."

"Why is she doing this?" Raoul demanded.

Hagen shook his head. "I cannot say. But go and find her yourself. Maybe if you survive long enough, she will tell you." He smiled. "Kill me if you wish," he said, "but remember, I am inconsequential. Your real trouble lies with Rhian!" He shouted at them as they rode forward. 

He looked at them pleadingly now. "I am not important!" He cried out as Dom's sword caught on his neck as he rode by.

They rode forward, unsure of what they would find. It turned out that it was a much larger clearing, that Hagen had also been protecting.

Standing in the middle of a large circle of stones was a woman. Her cloak was dirty, her shoes dusty. But underneath the dirt, she was a beautiful woman. Her hood was down and she was standing with her head leaning back slightly, looking at the sky, her arms outstretched to the air.

Her hair fell behind her head in golden locks, hanging halfway down her back. Her skin was creamy and cloudy.

She did not notice them standing there on the horses; they barely noticed her.

Every one's attention was focussed on the dragon hovering in the sky, holding Kel's limp body in it's claws.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am sorry I am so evil! But it was just such a good place.

And I have a really good explanation for why it took so long. You see, I was writing this story, but my computer crashed and I lost a bunch of files. This chapter was one of them. I tried for ages to find it, but I could not. I didn't want to rewrite it, because I knew it could not compare to what I had written before. Finally, I knew I had to do it. And I am really happy with it. Though I am going to find a dead end pretty soon, I think... but this should last a chapter or two, and I can usually come up with something new by then.

Wake Robin: Glad you thought it was good. I was kind of unhappy with how she turned out at the beginning of this chapter, though, but I think that was because the idea was kind of weak. I don't think it matters much, because that was not the focus. But oh well.

Chapter 12: these responses should have been at the end of chapter 13. It is confusing, but I like to write responses. It will be long!

Mage Light: Aww, I am sorry. There is more!

Kelly Masbolle: I know what you mean, she was a little weird. But I do not see her as a particularly fluent person. She never really concentrates on that in the books. She doesn't really like speaking, but whatever. I do see what you mean.

Lady Knight Wolfy: Haha...that is so true.

Rubber Duck: Stefan! Of course! I thought it seemed not right. But hey, the 50 against many, many more thing? They didn't do it. So no biggie.

Lady of Masbolle: oops. So sorry. Haha, I hate it when that happens... I wasted away exam time on Fanfiction... not a good idea!

Oceanspike: I am sorry! But I must do what I must. (hee hee...good song.)

PsychoLioness13: yes, a big army. Sad, I know.

Erkith: Haha, it isn't much of that any more, now is it? After having written this many story lines of the same character, it gets difficult! I just wish I had spent more time on each story in Good Things.

Kore Yan: Yay! Updating yay!

ShadowPirate: fluff is good, but I am afraid there might not be some for a little while.

Dreamerdoll: thank you! Always nice to hear that!

Rey Asakura: eh, it doesn't really matter. In this story, they are definitely in love, but whether they are just in love or lovers does not really matter (though I haven't backread in a while, it is very likely that I mentioned it earlier).

Legofiance: ooohh!

Anonymous: yes, there is a mistake. Forgiveness please. I messed up a letter. Aww. But, I'm glad you liked it. I am sorry! But this one was nice and almost 3000 words! I know...but there is one computer at my camp. I don't think I would have time to write much.

Goddess Usagi: of course! Unless there is a definite finish to it, it will never end. Unless I die or something.

Enchantress Sun: OH! I DON'T KNOW YET!

Megster: well, while he may be a prissy git, he still had reasons. He is the king; he cannot go on adventures any more. He is also getting older, and Kel is the younger and stronger fighter. Besides, the prophecy was about her. Telling Jon was just a little extra to motivate Kel.

AJ 4EVA: thank you. I will!

Miliko01: I do realize that. I only say it at the beginning of every chapter!

Laelai: of course!

Chapter 13: Ok, any review written after I posted chapter 13 is in here. You might even get in it twice!

Wake-Robin: of course!

PsychoLioness13: Psst! Don't tell, but I kinda stole it... oops. I hoped no one would notice. No such luck, eh?

Dreamerdoll: yeah... about that... sorry. I really meant to post that quickly. Glad you liked it, but I don't know how long it will be before I get any romance in.

Lady of Masbolle: Bloody! Thanks!

Megster: umm... so sorry. No can really do. I wrote a kickass battle scene in my other story, though.

Erkith: I'm sorry, okay? It was just too good! And suspense is a good thing! It makes you use your imagination!

Warrior of Tortall: of course!

Ossini: Ahh! No quote? I didn't notice that! Maybe, just maybe, I will be extra nice and do two today. But maybe not.

Smiles28: yep yep. Chapter, coming right up.

Beatrix B: You said it twice. Oh well. I'm glad you did.

Keladry9: thank you!

Smile!: that is fair. I cannot expect more than one review per chapter.

Stormgirl: everyone says that the crying is always over doing it. Eh.umm... who do you think Alan is? I have no clue whatsoever. Please inform me!

Rubber Duck: That's okay. Oh, there is no question. I would never make them do that. Yeah, yeah! It's coming!

Anonymous: it is supposed to say "they ARE along..." or "they'RE along..." One of the two. You pick.

Well, that is all for today. I can not promise a time period, but I will definitely get you a chapter soon.

"The people in the village were real poor, so none of the children had any toys. But this one little boy had gotten an old enema bag and filled it with rocks, and he would go around and whap the other children across the face with it. Man, I think my heart almost broke. Later the boy came up and offered to give me the toy. This was too much! I reached out my hand, but then he ran away. I chased him down and took the enema bag. He cried a little, but that's the way of these people."

-unolimbo

P.S.: Ossini, this extra long one was for you.


	15. Renewed

They stared up. The dragon was just hovering, almost like it was listening to Rhian, though she was not speaking.

It was like they were all entranced. Suddenly, Dom realized what he was doing. He was watching Kel, the woman he loved, as she was probably about to be killed.

He looked forward. He was about to cry out, when a hand clamped own on his mouth. Numair pressed a long finger to his lips and shook his head. Slowly, Dom nodded, and Numair released his hand.

Silently, they slid down from their horses. Dom drew his sword, and tapped Raoul on the arm to get his attention, signalling for him to stay silent. Slowly, the three men inched towards the beautiful mage.

Numair rose directly in front of her. "_Let her pass_." He said sternly. At once, everything was broken. There was a shudder in the earth, and all of the women staring into the sky looked down again. The dragon cried out, but did not move.

Rhian's head slowly turned towards the men. Her eyes pierced through them. Dom shuddered. They were red. She lowered her arms, and her eyes surged with colour, than slowly faded to bright sky blue.

"_Leave here_." She said.

Raoul took a step forward with his sword in front of him. "This is our home! Leave this place!"

Rhian laughed a cold laugh. "Silly commander. Borders change.

"This is the land of Scanra now. Leave now, or feel my wrath."

The men looked at each other uneasily; a few stepped back.

Numair raised a hand. "These men will not leave." He said. "Be gone."

She glared at him. "So you are Tortall's great magic power. This is all they could conjure? Your pathetic kingdom makes me sick." She spat at his feet.

Numair did not say anything about it. "My lady Rhian, please leave, for your own good. I shall be forced to destroy you if you do not."

She laughed again, and Dom felt an icy wave rush through him. As she spoke, he saw his chance. She was looking away from him, at Numair. Silently, he crept so he was directly behind her. He put an arrow in his bow and drew back. Just as he was about to shoot, Rhian's hand shot out.

"_Stop_!" She shouted. Dom tried to loose his arrow anyway, but it would not move. It was cemented to him. "Do not try to shoot my dragon, if you please. I will be forced to take drastic measures."

Her eyes flickered red with power. They faded to blue again, but her eyes did not sparkle with the same magic.

Numair nodded to Raoul. He too drew his bow and arrow, and Rhian moved her hand to face him. "Stop," she said. "And don't think this will beat me, I can hold both of you at once."

As she spoke, Numair nodded to the other men of the Own. They all drew arrows at the same time, but Rhian threw her other hand up. Her eyes glowed all the brighter, but then faded again. They were now almost brown.

Numair stepped towards her and shook his head, sighing. "Rhian, you have power. Any fool can see that. Why would you waste it like that?"

She spat at him again, this time in his face. He just lifted a sleeve and wiped it.

"If I were in the same position as you, I would not be fading right now. Maybe I would, but I would still be able to hold myself against this."

He raised his arm slowly, and all of the men's arrows raised. He snapped, and they were loosed. Ten arrows flew up towards the dragon and Kel.

Dom cried out and closed his eyes, terrified that Kel would be hit. This fight was strange, like nothing he had experienced before. He watched the arrows fly towards Kel, but not one arrow pierced her. they landed in a perfect circle on the dragon's chest. A horrible screech it made, then fell to the ground, Kel still in it's claws.

Numair's eyes flickered. His hand went up again, and suddenly, he was holding Kel up in the air. She hung limply like a rag doll, her head hanging down, arms and legs limp by her side.

"You see," Numair said softly, "I am stronger than you."

Rhian scoffed. "Don't be absurd. You held up a mere woman? That takes not strength. Hagen could do that. I held a dragon in place. I held fifty immortals, all by the power of my will. I am the most powerful mage in the realm."

Numair snapped again. Dom's arms fell to his side, and he stumbled forward. He saw, at the other end of the clearing, Kel lowering down to the ground.

Raoul, still unable to move much of his body, nodded tightly to Dom. He ran over to her as Numair continued to speak to Rhian.

But Dom was not listening to either of them. He pulled Kel's helm off of her head. Her head was bloody, she had a short bloody gash at her eyebrow. Slivers of metal from her helm was embedded in her forehead. Her helm was dented above it, showing where she had hit the rocks after flying from Apple. Her mail was cut at her shoulder, and she was bleeding from there too. Dom dug into his armour trying to find a handkerchief, which he pressed to Kel's shoulder.

"Come on, Kel. Don't leave me like this." He whispered. "I will get you to Neal as fast as I can."

Just then, he heard a cackling behind him. He looked out, and saw Rhian rising above the men. She was rising slowly, as Numair was fighting it. Her looks were melting away now. She put power into that, and now she did not have enough for it. Her hair was shortening and becoming greasy, her skin darkening and becoming slightly darkening.

She was laughing. "So, you may have defeated me. You may have defeated my immortals, my army. Do you think that is all I have? Do you think I have run out of ideas? So maybe I did not retrieve her this time.

"But I know to come up with something better." She pointed to Kel with a long finger. "If she lives to tell the tale, maybe you will see me again."

Numair shot a fireball at her, but she stopped it.

She smiled, her power and beauty somehow seeping back into her. Already, her hair was long and blond again, and her skin cloudy and white. She held her hand up, pushing the fireball away from her.

"_Don't shoot the messenger_." She said, laughing, and pinched her fingers together. The fireball went out with a sizzle, and when everyone looked again, Rhian was gone.

Raoul ran over to where Dom was and whistled to his horse. "How is she doing?" He asked.

Dom shook his head. "I don't know. She needs a healer, now. It cannot wait."

Raoul nodded grimly. "Get her on my horse. I will take her back."

Dom looked up at her. "Sir, please. I don't want to leave her."

Raoul sighed and looked at Dom. "Only because I don't have time to argue." He whistled again, this time for Dom's horse. Dom jumped up, and the men of the Own lifted Kel up so she was in front of him.

Raoul got on his horse. "Men, on your mounts. We ride now! Back to the city. I have no idea what is left. If there is still a battle raging, then we plough through it. Do you understand?"

The men all nodded. "Very well." Raoul said, his lips a thin line. "We ride!"

With that, they galloped at all speed back to the city.

Barely ten minute later, they reached the fields of war. There were thousands of bodies strewn along the fields. Men were being carried back into the city on stretchers, women and children scoured the dead for their loved ones.

Raoul and Dom galloped past them all, straight through the now open gate to the city. Dom thought it amazing that barely hours since they had left the main battle, it was over. And it had been so large.

He did not have time to question it. Straight to the infirmary they rode, calling out to Neal as they went. He met them at the door.

"What happened?" He asked. He looked frazzled. His hair was clinging to his face with sweat, his clothes and hands stained with blood.

Raoul jumped down. "You would not believe me if I told you." He said. Neal looked over him and frowned.

"Kel? I thought she was on the wall?"

Dom frowned as he brought Kel down. "You thought wrong. Now are you going to heal her, or are you going to let here die here while we tell you a story?"

Everyone moved quickly. Neal cleaned her shoulder wound first, then healed it part way. He did not have the time or energy to heal every wound all the way.

He moved on to her head. He cleaned the dirt and shards of metal from her cut, then healed it. It was not deep, but it had shrapnel in it, and it was over a very large bump on Kel's head. He touched her face.

He could feel his power draining, but he kept going. The power surged from his fingertips into Kel. Slowly, the swelling went down on her forehead. It was still purple, and Kel was still unconscious. Neal kept going. The world was spinning now, but he kept going. Just as Kel was healing fully, Neal collapsed.

Days passed. The bodies were cleaned from the fields, the soil turned many a time to mix in the blood. The river was washed clean, burials were performed. If a traveller looked upon Corus, he would not know that a battle had occurred only days earlier.

Unless, of course, he actually went up close.

The walls of the city were charred, the wooden planks on the tops of the walls were stained with blood.

The city was in mourning. Children still played, and women still gossiped. Men still worked, and dogs still barked.

But people were missing. Women were without husbands, daughters were without fathers. Widows were without sons to support them, sisters were without brothers.

And Dom was without Kel.

She did not die, but she was not with him when he helped the men clear the bodies, she was not with him at meals, she was not with him at night.

But he was with her. He sat by her side every chance he got. Neal sat with him as well, but he did not look worried.

"She had not slept more than a few hours in weeks, Dom. She was exhausted, she lost a lot of blood, and she had an extensive healing. Just give her some time." He said. "She will wake up when she is ready, do not worry. Give her a day or two, it's only been a week."

Dom sighed. "But she will wake up?"

Neal put his hand on his cousin's shoulder. "We can never tell these things, Dom. We can only hope and pray." He stood up. "I have work to do. Promise me you will not waste away here? You will get some food and sleep?"

Dom nodded yawning. "Sleep sounds good." He muttered.

Neal chuckled. "I guess I will see you here tomorrow, then." He said.

Dom nodded and put his head down on the bed, nestled against Kel's still hand.

Kel woke from unsettling dreams late in the night.

She was out of breath, sweating heavily, and her arm felt heavy. She remembered the gash she had received in her shoulder. Could that be causing it? She remembered shooting down immortals, she remembered riding over the bridge. She remembered flying off of her horse, hurtling towards a rock. She remembered Dom's voice calling out to her.

Had she just imagined it? She did not normally hallucinate like that. Maybe he had been there. She felt around with her left hand. A bed. She had been taken back to the city. What had happened after she hit the rock?

She shuddered, deciding she did not want to know.

She wished she could see something. She could see the silhouette of a small window, and she could see stars outside. There was no moonlight to shine into her room.

She tried to sit up, but she could not get up. She gave up with a sigh.

Suddenly, she noticed that she was not alone in the room. She could hear breathing, she could feel the vibrations.

She tried to lift her right hand again, and realized that the reasons he could not lift it was not a wound, but that there was a head lying on it. She wormed her hand out. Who was lying with his head on her bed? She tried to feel his hair, his face, but she could not reach.

Finally, she decided to wake him up. She shook him lightly, hoping that would do it.

She poked him, and suddenly, he sat up with a start. "Ah!" He cried out softly. "What the?"

Kel sighed. "Dom." She whispered. Her voice hardly made a sound through her parched throat.

"Kel, you're awake!" He cried, throwing himself at her. "Kel, I didn't know when you would wake up! I was so worried!" He rushed through his words in a loud whisper.

He hugged her tightly. Slowly and painfully, Kel brought her arms up and hugged him back.

He sounded teary as he rambled on. Kel could hear him crying.

"Shh," she said, taking his head in her hands. "I'm okay," she whispered. "I wish I could see you."

Dom nodded, Kel thought, by the way his head felt in her hands. "Me too."

She kissed him. Softly, at first, as it was all she could manage. Her forehead hurt terribly, but she did not care.

She felt like she was going to cry as well. She hugged Dom again. "Stay here with me." She whispered. He kissed her.

Kel feel asleep with her head nestled into Dom's chest.

Kel woke early in the morning. Dom was already awake, but barely. He was rubbing his eyes and yawning.

Kel smiled. "Morning." She said. Dom turned around and looked at her. He smiled and kissed her.

"Morning." He said. They sat there for a moment in silence, until Dom said, "I guess I should go tell someone that you're awake, right?"

Kel nodded slowly. "Maybe." She said.

Dom kissed her again. She wished she could just stay there forever with Dom by her side, but she knew that was not possible. As soon as Dom had left, she realized something. There was a reason that she was here in this bed. What had happened with the rest of the battle?

Almost instantly, Dom came back, Neal leading close behind, grinning. "See, I told you to give her time." He said, poking Dom.

Dom shrugged. "You also told me to go back to my room last night. But did I listen to you? No, and it's a good thing, too."

Neal rolled his eyes. "It's not like her injuries would have gotten worse if she woke up here alone," he said. "She wouldn't freak out or something."

Kel looked at them. "Is this leading up to something, or can I go back to sleep?" She asked.

Dom and Neal glared at each other, then Neal came over and checked Kel over.

Kel looked at him. He looked healthy now, but tired. She did not know how long she had been unconscious, how long the battle had gone one, but she could see in Neal's face that it had not been long ago that he had finished. His eyes were ringed with darkness, and he looked slightly thin and more fragile than usual.

He clapped his hands together. "Well," he said, grinning, "You are pretty much healed. You still need to rest, though. I am going to confine you to bed for a few days. You may go back to your own bed, if you wish. It does not matter to me."

Kel smiled. "Am I allowed to go to meals?"

Neal shook his head slowly. "You stay in bed, Kel. I don't want you getting up unless you have to for at least today and tomorrow, maybe the day after. Get people to bring you food. And I know you have not talked to all of in a long while, but please, try and get some sleep. You will be able to get out of bed sooner then."

Kel nodded obediently. Neal sighed. "I'm sorry about this, Kel. But you had some pretty bad wounds that did not get cleaned for a really long time. You lost a lot of blood, you had not rested in weeks, and you had a big healing. You need sleep."

Kel put her hands up in her defence. "I was not complaining one bit," she said. "but I will complain if I cannot get into my bed soon!" She said.

Neal rolled his eyes. "I'm not doing it. I'm almost as exhausted as you. But I can give you a wheeled chair to get back to your room."

Kel smiled. "Thank you, Neal." She stayed where she was while Dom went to get a chair. Kel took a hold of Neal's hand. She looked up at him. "You have not married yet." She said.

Neal looked down and became quiet.

Kel sighed. "Thank you, Neal. That means more to me than you can know."

Neal smiled. "We weren't sure if you would come back that first time. Yuki and I promised ourselves we would not marry without you there, no matter what."

Kel hugged him. "I love you, Neal." She said.

He hugged her back. "I love you too, Kel."

Just then, Dom came back in the room, pushing a wheelchair in front of him. "All aboard!" He cried.

Kel smiled and batted away the hand Neal offered her. "I may be weak, but I can still get that far." She said. Slowly, she stood up. Every bone in her body ached, every muscle popped back into place. Kel sat herself into the chair. It was cold to the touch.

Dom wheeled her back to her bedroom, leaving Neal in the infirmary, apologizing for the fact that he could not go up with them.

Kel looked around the palace grounds as they went. Everything was green again, from the tips of the trees to the roots of the grass. Or maybe it had never really gone away, Kel had just not noticed it any more. The sky was a brilliant blue, and Kel had to squint. She had not seen sunlight in a while, either. The few people that Kel saw wore dark colours and appeared to be mourning, though they still went about their normal lives, their normal gossips and activities.

Kel leaned back and closed her eyes, feeling the sun on her face. It had been a long time since she could do that. She had not had time for anything restful or relaxing in a long while.

Dom helped her when she got back into her room. Sparrows, waiting patiently on her bed for her return, twittered wildly around Kel's head. Jump raised his head from where he was lying and stared at her. They stared at each other for at least a minute. Jump looked angry. Suddenly, he leapt forward and started licking Kel's face. She laughed.

Dom grinned. "The way he stared, I was afraid he was going to attack you. I guess he decided he could not stay mad."

Kel smiled and put the dog down. She pushed herself up from the chair and onto the bed. Neal was right, she was tired.

She lay down with the sparrows twittering on the windowsill and Jump curled up on her feet.

She looked up at Dom. "Dom," she said quietly, "I want to know what happened."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Mage Light: Thank you! She never really went evil...she was kind of always evil. Oh well. It doesn't matter.

Wake-Robin: thank you!

Lady of Masbolle: I am so proud. Thank god for Friday nights. Yes, the dragon is obeying Rhian. That was the whole point. She could control them. Remember how they were attacking with the Scanrans, that was the spell. Don't worry, explaining it is the first thing that I do in the next chapter!

Dreamerdoll: well, I lied about not having any. It fell right into place in this chapter, though I thought there wasn't very much. Whatever, I'm not very good at writing it anyway. Glad you liked it!

Laelai: thanks!

PsychoLioness13: that is so true. I should probably put an acknowledgement or something, but whatever. I know, everyone hates cliffhangers. But I find that with boring endings, I have boring starts, and no new ideas. I need them!

Alannalovingwriter: heehee... I wonder why? runs away really fast everything that seems too good to be true is probably from LotR.

Soccerchick-08: It doesn't matter where the dragons came from. Wherever they were, Rhian got control of them. And no, I will not go into details about the unknown immortals. They were just there to show that she was powerful. She could find the immortals as well as command them.

MistyFox14: thank you! I do my best!

Okay, not much to say about this chapter, but...

If you read Good Things Come to Those Who Wait (and it's sequel, Time, which this refers to) this is important.

I am writing a new story line right now, and it is needlessly complex. I am writing basically an outline of the story, and I hope to get it up as soon as I can. Please bear with me! The longer it takes, the better it will be!

"I wish I had a Kryptonite cross, because then you could keep both Dracula AND Superman away."

-unolimbo


	16. Make It Better

Dom sighed. "It's difficult to say, really." He sat down on Kel's bed. "When you ran off, Jon told us to go and wait by the river. We did not understand why."

Kel smiled. "I do." But she did not say anything more, so Dom continued.

"We went to the river and waited, just like we were instructed. Then, suddenly, we heard something coming along the river. We tried to stay hidden, but we looked. We could see the immortals flying towards us, then we saw you. Galloping faster than I've ever seen anyone ride, coming straight towards us. But when you were riding over the bridge, Apple's foot caught on a loose plank and he tripped. You flew at least ten feet and hit a rock while the bridge crumbled under the immortals weight."

Kel shuddered to think about it. "I heard your voice," she said. "I thought I imagined it."

Dom shook his head. "No, I did call out to you. Raoul would not let me come to you. The next thing we knew, one of the two remaining dragons picked you up off of the ground."

Kel closed her eyes. She hurt, physically, but also in her heart. Raoul would not let them attend to her? Why would he do that? Then she remembered, there were forty immortals for his men to kill.

"We realized that it was you that it held, and we chased it. it came to this clearing with a mage in it. His name was Hagen, the young mage. We destroyed his cover spell, and killed him in our anger. We should not have. He could have helped us, but we killed him." He looked down for a moment. "We then came to another mage, whom Hagen had warned us about. Her name was Rhian. She was the one controlling the immortals, including the one holding you, that was hovering directly in front of her. I don't really know how it happened, but she had us frozen until Numair made us shoot. We killed the dragon, but Numair held you up. That is the last I know. I came over to you then."

He touched her forehead. "You had a large and ugly gash right here, filled with shrapnel from your helm. I think you got it when you flew into the rock. Can you still feel it?"

Kel nodded. "I can. I thought I just had a headache."

Dom smiled. "No, you were badly wounded. I assume you already knew about your shoulder. Anyway, Rhian overpowered Numair, and-"

He stopped and ran his hand through his hair. "I don't think I should tell you the rest. I, I wouldn't know what to..." he faded off, looking nervous, his eyes darting everywhere except to Kel's face.

She took his face in her hands, making him look at her. "Dom, please tell me what happened."

He looked at her. "She said that if you lived to see another day, she would come back for you."

Kel was not expecting that. What would this mage want with her? Why was she so important?

Dom lay down beside her. "She got away." He said. "We don't know what to do, Kel. I was afraid. She overpowered Numair in the end. If he could not beat her, who would be able to?" He kissed Kel's forehead. "I just don't want to lose you already."

Kel didn't say anything for a moment. She felt Dom's warm breath against her neck, felt the stubble on his face rub against her skin, felt the weight of his arm spread over her chest with his hand holding her opposite shoulder. She did not want to lose him, either. For such a long time, she had been alone.

"Dom," Kel said slowly, "when I was flying over the bridge, what happened to Apple?"

Dom looked puzzled for a second. "Mithros, I never even though of that. I guess he went down with the bridge and the immortals."

Kel nodded slowly. She had become attached to that horse. "Goddess bless him." She said quietly.

Dom kissed her forehead. "He died honourably. He died in battle."

Kel smiled. "He died for Tortall."

She kissed Dom. "Thank you." She said.

Dom smiled. "For what?" He said.

Kel kissed him again. "For saving my life."

-----

The next three days passed incredibly slowly for Kel. She saw her friends, but she was not allowed to leave her room, and it got boring. Finally, Neal paid her one last visit.

"Stand up for me, Kel."

Much more quickly than before, Kel stood up and stretched her arms. She grinned.

Neal nodded, happy with what he saw. He checked her now disappearing wounds, and her energy levels. He grinned when he had finished. "Congratulations, Kel. You can now officially leave your bedroom. But you still have to take it easy for a day or two."

Kel hugged him. "Thanks, Neal." She said. "I owe you one."

Neal sighed. "I am just to helpful, I guess." Kel punched him. "Well," he winced, "you've certainly got your strength back."

Kel smiled. "Thanks to you, dear Meathead."

Now that Kel could leave her room, the king called a meeting about everything that had happened. Raoul said that because Kel was the most important person to be there, they waited for her.

The day after Kel was admitted back into her life, she was called to the throne room. Every knight that was in Corus at the time was there.

The king nodded to Kel, signalling for her to come to the front. She was given a seat beside Raoul at the front of the room.

"We have serious issues to speak of." The king said, as soon as Kel had sat down. "We must speak of this danger to our country and this realm. Her name is Rhian. She is a mage; the magic maiden. She is very powerful, and she appears to be working for Scanra. We believe that this is their last offence. We defeated their armies, we killed their king. They have nothing left, and they are attacking us with her.

"She is powerful. She is very powerful. She is very possibly more powerful than Numair Salmalin, our most powerful mage. We need to come up with a plan."

He looked over at Kel, who was sitting, motionless in her seat, taking everything in. "When Rhian overpowered Numair and left," he said, "she said that she would come back for Lady Knight Keladry." He made a hand gesture towards Kel. "We must know what she wants with us, and with Keladry.

"From now on, Lady Knight Keladry is never to be alone. If something happens with Rhian, I want someone else to be there to help.

"Secondly, I want to send out a party to find this mage. I want to attack her, I want to stop her, I want to kill her, if I have to. I don't care. This woman is a menace to my kingdom. It is your duty as the knights of the realm to organize men. I want soldiers trained, mages to be practicing, anything it takes, and anything you can think of. I am sorry I cannot be more detailed, but we have very little information. That is all." With that, the king stepped down and walked briskly out of the room.

Kel closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This could not be good. She did not want to be watched, like some young child whose mother always had one eye open for, in case of mischief. She just wanted to live her life.

She stood up and followed the king out of the throne room to his study.

"Your majesty," she said, ignoring the guards at the door and walking straight in after him, "I cannot understand the order you gave."

Jon looked up at her and frowned. "I believe it was very straight forward."

Kel sat down. "Your majesty, I don't quite see the point. Having me constantly under supervision cannot possibly help the situation."

Jon looked at her. "What do you want me to do? Ignore it and hope it goes away? Or would you rather I tie you to the top of Balor's needle and leave you there as bait? I am doing the best I can, Keladry."

Kel looked down. Maybe the king was right. Maybe it was the best he could. But he could not do everything. There was always something else.

"There is always something else." She said quietly.

Jon looked at her. "What do you suggest?" He said sharply.

Kel shook her head. "I don't know."

The king sighed and went on with his business as if Kel wasn't there. "I will," he said distantly, "assign someone to be in your presence twenty four hours a day. You are not to stop him from going through with his orders in any way, or you will quickly find yourself in a nice little spot of solitary confinement for the next little while."

Kel stood up. "I may agree to that, your majesty," she said confidently, "but I reserve the right to give you a better option, if I can think of one." She turned to leave, but said when she got to the door, "and I will find a better option."

She walked quickly back to her rooms and flopped down on her bed. Almost instantly, she stood up again and began to pace. She sat down in a chair. She stood up and went to the window. She continued this pattern of movement for quite a while, until there was a knock on her door.

"Kel." The muffled voice said when she did not answer, "Please let me in. I don't like being locked out."

Kel sighed and opened the door. "What do you want?" She asked.

Dom stepped forward and held Kel's face in his hand. "Kel, what happened back there? What is wrong?"

She pushed his hand away. "I am being treated like a child." She said. "I don't want to have a babysitter all the time!"

Dom smirked. "You are being treated like a child because you are acting like a child."

Kel frowned. "Just get out, Dom." She said. "I don't want to see you right now."

Dom shook his head. "I'm not leaving you alone just so that you can boil your blood. I know what the king said. And even if he hadn't," he said, holding up a hand to stop Kel before she began to protest, "I would still not leave."

Kel sighed and lay down on her bed with her feet dangling over the end. "I know I am being childish, but I can't help it." She said as Dom lay down beside her. "this is very difficult. There is an incredibly powerful mage who wants something to do with me, and I do not know what. If she came for me, I could probably not defend myself physically, but it is not like I would get a chance. She would use her magic before I could do anything. She would use her magic before anyone could do anything."

Dom put his arm around her. "Kel, I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

Kel smiled. "Thank you." She said. The wind rushed through the open window of her room. The weather was getting colder, the days getting shorter. Kel snuggled up against Dom. He kissed her.

"I love you." He said.

Kel smiled sleepily. "I love you too."

She fell asleep there.

Dom stayed awake for a long time. He knew he had to protect Kel. She was weak and tired and in danger. But she did not seem to realize that. She had not seen Rhian, had not seen the malice in that woman's eyes. Kel did not understand what could happen to her.

The king had told Dom to protect Kel, to never leave her side. And protect her he would, and he would not leave her side, either. Not because the king ordered him to, but because he knew.

This was not good.

Kel woke early the next morning. Dom was still asleep, his arm draped protectively over her body. She looked at him. He, as well as Kel, had fallen asleep in his tunic, which was now rumpled and wrinkled beneath him. His hair had grown since Kel had been gone, but she had not noticed it until she really had time to look at him. It covered his eyes now, as he lay. His chin and cheeks were stubbly from sleep, but even with all this, he still looked beautiful.

Kel sighed. She did not deserve this man. He deserved some beautiful creature. Someone who could wait for him at home, Someone who lived to look pretty and please him.

But as she thought that, she knew that she would never give him up.

Dom opened his eyes as Kel was looking at him. "Good morning." He said quietly.

Kel smiled. "Good morning."

Dom sighed and closed his eyes again. He pushed himself up close against Kel's body. "I don't want to get up." He said. "Can we just stay here?"

Kel smiled and ran her hands through his hair. "I think I have had enough of my bed for the time being."

Dom chuckled. "I like your bed. It is softer than mine. I'm coming here every night."

Kel kissed him on the forehead. "Okay, Dom. You do that."

He looked up at her. "I was serious." He said, no longer smiling. His eyes, however soft and beautiful they were, pierced Kel's.

She averted her eyes and found herself looking down at her body. She was pushed right up against Dom's warmth, she could feel his skin through their tunics. "I don't know, Dom."

He kissed her. "I love you, Kel. No matter what you decide."

She smiled, but did not speak. She was not sure what she wanted from Dom. She loved him, she knew that much, but she was not sure if she was ready to bed him. The pregnancy charm she had bought so long ago hung lightly around her neck still, and she fingered it absently as she thought. _I know that it is love and not lust_, she thought, remembering what her mother had said when she was a squire. _If only I knew what I actually wanted_.

Dom saw her playing with her charm and took her hand in his. "Kel, don't think about it."

She sat up slowly. "I have to practice, Dom."

He sat up beside her. "So I will come with you. I am not giving up any time with you."

Kel looked at him. "Dom, I just need some time to think, alone." She kissed him again. "I will come and talk to you again."

He frowned. "Kel, the king said you should not be alone. I know that. And I agree with him. I do not want to leave you alone.

Kel sighed. "I will be fine, Dom. Watch me from afar, I don't care. Just go away and leave me alone!"

Dom looked down in silence.

Kel bit her lip. She was an idiot. "I didn't mean that, Dom."

He shrugged, not meeting her eyes. "No, I think you did." He looked at her. "Maybe I should go. Let you have your time to think."

Kel looked at him pleadingly. She did not want him to go like that. "Dom, I-" before she could finish, Dom stood up and left without kissing her goodbye.

Kel did not want to practice any more. She lay back down on her bed, tears springing to her eyes.

She had not cried in a very long time. She had not cried when she had been hurt, she had not cried when she had seen Dom again, though she almost had. She had not cried since the day that Dom had told her he was engaged.

But today she cried. She cried tears of pain, tears of love, tears of memory, tears of heartbreak. She cried until she did not think she could cry any longer.

She did not move when she was finished. She looked around her room. It looked as it always had, even when she was a page, though it was much bigger now. Her bed sat in the middle of the room, against the wall. Her washroom was apart, but a door led to it. Her dresses hung in an open closet across from her bed. Her desk sat at the end of her bed. She looked at her Yamani cats. Good luck, they were supposed to be. Fat lot of good they had done her.

She sighed. If the gods wanted her to be alone, she would be alone. There was nothing she, or anyone else, could do.

With that, she stood up and stretched her weary legs. She did not even know if she had the strength to practice yet. She just picked up her glaive and did some pattern dances right in her room. Jump sat at the end of her bed, watching her. Sparrows came and went, careful to avoid her weapon.

After giving herself a few hours of practice and tears, Kel ventured out in search of Dom. He did not answer when she knocked, but she knew he was in there. She opened the door a crack and looked in. He was lying flat on his bed, his hands crossed over his stomach, looking at the ceiling.

Kel did not say anything. She closed the door and walked over to him.

"I thought you didn't like your bed." She said quietly.

Dom shrugged, his eyes unmoving. "I thought I should probably get used to it."

Kel sighed and sat down on the bed. "I'm sorry, Dom. I was just frustrated." He did not say anything. Kel continued. "I just don't know what I want yet." The words tasted sour in her mouth. "I don't know how to tell you any other way."

Dom finally looked over. "That's always your problem, isn't it? You never know what to say, or how to say it. You just insult people until you figure it out."

His words stung into Kel's heart, but she told herself that he was just saying that out of anger. She stayed calm. "What do I have to say to you to get you to forgive me?" She asked.

Dom shrugged. "You just have to tell me what you feel." He said.

Kel took a deep breath. "You want to know what I feel, Dom? Right now I feel hurt that you would say that about me. The time I spent in my room, I felt sad that you were angry with me. This morning, I felt angry that I was being treated like a child. For the past few months, I have felt scared that I have been in great danger. But through all of this," she said slowly, "I have felt loved. I felt love. I have felt proud that I could have friends who would respect me, someone I loved who would wait for me.

"Through all of those times when I was out on my own," she said quietly, not letting her embarrassment show, knowing that Dom would be upset by it, "I missed you. I thought about you every moment of every day. I imagined you with me." She stared to cry again, but wiped the tears away with her sleeve. "I loved you."

Dom closed his eyes. He took a deep, noticeable breath, and opened his eyes again. He looked directly at Kel.

"I'm sorry." He said hoarsely. "I thought you didn't want me anymore."

Kel cupped his chin in her hand. "I would never do that." She said. Dom smiled and stretched his arms out to Kel. He pulled Kel down to his level so that she was lying on top of him.

"I'm sorry, Kel." He said.

Kel smiled. "I am too."

He kissed her. "Did you have enough time to think?" He asked, his cheeks pinker than usual.

Kel kissed him. "Just about, I would say."

Dom kissed her again, and she felt her insides melt. His finger stumbled with her tunic, pulling it off of her.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her there as he kissed her. Kel felt his warmth through her, and she thought, maybe I am ready.

Kel woke up early in the morning. It was light out, and Kel could see the bright reds and oranges of the autumn trees. It looked cool, but Kel was warm and comfortable where she was.

She lay beside Dom now, his arm again draped over her protectively. She had been so afraid she would be scared, so afraid that bedding Dom would change everything. But lying there in the exact same position she had slept in the night before, she just felt happy.

Kel slipped out of Dom's embrace and picked up her clothes. As she dressed, she looked back at Dom. He was still sleeping peacefully. She lay back down beside him when she was ready to go.

"Dom," she whispered. "Wake up."

He didn't move. Kel kissed him. "Dom, wake up." She said.

Dom groaned and pulled his blanket up. "I don't want to wake up."

Kel laughed. "You are awake, you just have to get up."

Dom opened one eye and looked at her. "Why do I have to get up?"

Kel smiled. "Because I haven't eaten anything since yesterday morning. I am famished!"

Dom glared at her and sat up. "Alright, I'm going." He said as he got dressed. "I don't see why I have to come."

Kel smiled. "Because I don't want to leave you all alone in here, of course! And besides, it is very early, and I don't want to eat all alone."

Kel grinned. "And besides, dear Domitan, you told me never to be alone."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

bad a bum! 3,666 beautiful words of pure fluff. Huzzah! Now NO ONE can tell me I don't have enough fluff!

But anyway, I should be getting back to an actual story line in the next chapter, so no worries.

Aradia: I have absolutely no idea what CC means. I really am getting a sense of déjà vu from this, though.

MistyFox14: thank you, I will do my best!

Lady of Masbolle: they weren't really 'pretending.' She sort of brain washed them, I guess that is a good way of putting it.

Soccerchick-08: aww, that is always good to hear! That's okay, I don't mind lame questions. I ask them ALL the time.

Wake-Robin: thanks!

Dreamerdoll: thank you, that made me feel better. Ha. You thought he was cute in that chapter? I loved him in this chapter! I was like, 'damn you, Kel, why do you get him? So not fair!'

Alannalovingwriter: ok! Can do!

Laelai: thanks!

Mage Light: yay indeed!

Anonymous: I know exactly what you mean. I really wanted to show Kel getting hurt, Kel getting rescued, all that stuff that I usually forget to have happen.

Aradia: thank you! That is good!

Well, that is all for today. It might be a little while before the next post...maybe a week or so, because I want to work on Time (and that crazy thing called homework).

"I don't think I'm alone when I say I'd like to see more and more planets fall under the ruthless domination of our solar system."

-unolimbo


	17. Mad World

Dom followed Kel, bleary eyed, down to the dining hall. They collected their breakfast and sat down at a table. Neal joined them a few moments later. He grinned at them. "Morning, you lazy, lazy people." He said.

Kel looked at him, confused. "Whatever do you mean?" She asked.

Neal raised an eyebrow. "Oh, come now, Keladry! Don't play innocent with me." He said, his eyes full of mockery. "You two haven't been seen in two days."

Kel blushed immensely, and Dom hit Neal upside the head. "First of all, Meathead," he said, wagging his finger at his cousin, "that is rude, and you shouldn't say that to a lady, even if she is Kel! Secondly, it's not true!"

Kel looked at Dom, her brow furrowed. She did not mind him telling Neal to be polite, he was careful not to treat her too much like a lady, but he sounded almost – embarrassed. Like she was. He always got angry when she was embarrassed of their relationship, but he was too! That didn't bother her at all. In fact, it made her smile.

"What?" Neal said bluntly.

Kel looked up, shaken from her stupor. "Pardon?" She asked, looking at him.

"You were smiling at something." He said.

Kel shrank down. "Nothing." She squeaked. "Just laughing at you two. I'm glad to be here for it again."

Neal reached over and clapped her on the shoulder. "It's good to have you back, too." He said, just as Merric, Seaver, and Owen walked up to them.

"It's true!" Owen said, hearing Neal's last sentence. "It is good to have you back!"

Merric grinned. "Welcome home, Protector of the Small." He said, bowing.

Kel rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. You know I hate that! Besides," she said, lowering her eyes, "it was not small at all."

They all made the sign against evil on their chest. "Mithros protect." Neal muttered. "Well," he said, popping back up, "we need to do something to celebrate the healthy return of our favourite female knight!"

Neal jumped as a hand laid on his shoulder. "Excuse me?" A voice said coldly.

Neal looked up. Leaning over him was the lioness. "Don't make me cut off your extremities." She said.

Neal blanched, but everyone else, Alanna included, laughed.

"Actually," she said, looking at Kel, "I came over to talk to you." She said in all seriousness. Kel stood up.

"I wish to congratulate you on a journey well travelled." She said, "a story well read, a task well taken out, and a mission well accomplished." She bowed deeply to Kel, then stood again. "I wish to congratulate you on a job well done."

Kel bowed in return. "Thank you very much, Lady Alanna." With that, Alanna walked over and hugged her.

"I am proud to call you my favourite knight." She whispered in Kel's ear. Kel laughed. "I bid you farewell. Many things to do! Please take care of yourself Kel," she pointed to all of the men sitting around the table. "And all of you, keep an eye on her!"

After she was gone, Kel sat back down. Dom took her hand under the table and squeezed it. "Congratulations, Kel. I'm not sure if I have said that yet."

Everyone nodded in agreement. "Let's hear it for Kel!" Someone cried.

Kel sighed. They were going to go on for a while. She quickly excused herself. Dom followed her.

"I want to actually practice." She said. "But I think I might just use my glaive in my room. I don't know if I have the energy to go down to the courts."

Dom grinned and took her by the hand. "Oh no you don't!" He said, dragging her down towards the stables.

"Dom, let go!" Kel cried, trying to pull away from him.

Dom grabbed her around the waist. "Oh, come on, it's not so bad!" He said.

Kel laughed and pushed on his arms. "Put me down, Dom! I have to go practice!"

Dom sighed and put her down. "Fine, Lady Knight. But since we're at the stables already, I must show you something." He glanced at the sundial that stood outside of the stables. "Will you look at that, we're right on time!" Kel raised an eyebrow, but Dom just shrugged. "What can I say, we're expected!"

He took her by the wrist again, but this time she came willingly. She wanted to know what was going on in the stables. She could hear voices in the centre aisle, and as she and Dom turned the corner, she could see Raoul, Alanna and Neal leaning against two stalls. Neal and Alanna looked out of breath, as if they had run there. Raoul was grinning at them.

"What's going on?" Kel asked warily.

Raoul stood up straight and bowed. "My lady Keladry," he said formally, trying not to laugh, "we present you with a gift. Two of the finest horses belonging to any knight." He said, making a sweeping gesture to the stall beside him.

Kel looked at them suspiciously, but followed to where Raoul's hand lay open. Standing in the stall was Hoshi. The one next to it held Peachblossom.

Kel's mouth fell open. "You didn't!" She cried. "Thank you!" She threw herself at Raoul, then at Neal, Alanna, and Dom in turn.

"The important thing is, how did we get them here?" Raoul said, holding his hand in the air, in order to get everyone's attention. "I think the answer is obvious." He said, nodding his head at something behind Kel.

Kel spun around. Standing in front of her were her parents. "Mother! Father!" She cried. "I am so sorry I did not get to stay at home..."

Ilane hushed her. "Don't be silly, child. You were too busy saving the realm! That can be excused!"

Kel smiled and hugged her mother tightly. "Thank you so much for coming." She said. She hugged her father as well, then smiled again. She and her parents walked back up to the palace, talking and laughing. "How was your journey?" Kel asked.

Piers smiled. "Wonderful. We had fabulous weather. Though I must say, we were a bit worried."

"Why?" Kel asked.

Ilane smiled warmly. "Well, when the messenger came to us, we were only told that when he left, you were unconscious in a hospital bed after traipsing alone through Scanra, fighting an army of men and immortals, and being held hostage by a mage."

Kel smiled. "It sounds pretty bad doesn't it?" She asked.

Ilane nodded her head slowly. "It was a bit shocking. The messenger didn't know what was happening with you. He just knew gossip, and I promised myself it wasn't true. How much of it was?"

Kel bit her lip. "All of it." She said cautiously.

Ilane raised an eyebrow. "Oh. Well, congratulations, dear." She said.

-----

Ilane was not the only person to congratulate Kel. She received a purse from the king, larger than any purse her brothers had received. It was greatly needed. Kel still had all of the gear that Alanna had given her when she was a page, but it did not mean that she had everything she needed. She had to pay for her cloth and her gear, her animals and just about everything else.

Dom had still not been willing to leave her side. The only time he had left her alone for more time than it took her to use the toilet, she was with her mother. The danger of Rhian was still present, even if Rhian herself was not.

Kel tried to tell herself that the danger was not real. She tried to tell herself that Rhian did not have the power to hurt her, but she knew it was not true. One day, she would come. Kel knew that much.

But what did she want? No one could think of what she would want with Kel, and if she wanted information about the kingdom, why would she focus on Kel? Why would she not just attack the king? She obviously had the power.

She liked to spend time in her room. Her friends were now very obviously worried about it, though they tried to hide it, and Kel did not want them to worry about her. Her parents went home after three weeks to Mindelan, worried about the planting season in Mindelan tat they were missing, the work that was to be done, peasants that were to be supervised, every reason they could possibly give to go home. Kel knew they missed Mindelan. She did too.

She sat in her room, seemingly alone, looking out the window. She sat on the wide sill looking out the small paned windows, memorizing the look of every tree, every leaf in the courtyard outside. She was sitting there one day, curled up with her hands clasped under her knees, pulled up to her chest, comfortable and warm, when Dom approached her.

Dom had willingly left her alone, staying quietly apart from her most of the time. It was difficult, and Kel knew that. She was not surprised when he spoke.

"Kel, you cannot do this forever."

Kel smiled weakly. "I won't have to." She said. "Rhian should be here soon."

Dom frowned. "That's not funny, Kel. You know better than to toy with things like that."

Kel put her head back against the wall. "What do you want, Dom?"

He uncrossed his arms and paced back and forth, not looking at Kel. She waited patiently for him to finish. "Maybe this is what she meant!" He said quickly. "You are destroying yourself, Kel! You don't practice, you don't socialize with your friends, I don't even think you would eat if I didn't bring you food!"

Kel gave him a look. "You're being a bit rash, Dom. It's not that bad. I'm fine, I just need some time alone."

Dom shook his head angrily. "Absolutely not, Kel! You shouldn't be alone, we can't let our guard down, just because it has been a little while!" He was almost shouting now. "The king asked me to watch you all the time, and watch you I will do! You need to get over this, Kel, and go on with your life with me and whoever else there!" He opened his mouth to continue when Kel stood up.

"What did you say?" She asked angrily, trying to control herself, setting her face in stone.

Dom sighed in relief. "You need to get out. Just like you are doing." He said, glad to get Kel up.

She shook her head. "Before that, Dom. The part where you told me you were here because the king assigned you to watch me." She narrowed her eyes. "You are disgusting." She said quietly. "Get out."

Dom went ashen. "Kel, please, you know-" He tried to speak, but Kel would not let him.

"Get out of my room, Dom. Go tell the king that he needs a new guard, someone who can be honest about what he's doing, and won't take advantage of the woman he is supposed to be sheltering."

Dom ran his hands through his hair, looking nervous. "Come now, Kel..." He said, stepping forward.

Before he could do anything, Kel had drawn back and punched him. He did not expect it – Kel did not even expect it herself. But she was not sorry. Dom fell backwards, clutching his eye, looking shocked. "Kel..." He said, confused.

Kel looked down at him, unmoving. "Get out, Dom."

Slowly, looking shocked and confused, Dom stood up and walked out of the room, clutching his face.

As soon as the door clicked closed, Kel fell onto her bed in tears. She cried at everything – what had just happened, but also her entire adventure, however horrible and glorious it had been, her entire time with Dom.

How could he have done this? How could he have lied to her like that, pretended to love her in order to look over her?

How had she, Keladry, not noticed that he had not spoken at all of bedding her, even jokingly, until the time that she was not to be left alone?

All she knew was that she would be alone.

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I don't know about all of you, but I really liked the way that chapter worked out. I really liked that tension at the end (though it was a titch out of character for Kel, it was still nice and dramatic) and I am really excited for where this story is heading. I just spent five minutes listening to the ideas spinning around my head.

Wake-Robin: yay fluff...but wait! No more, I think, for a little while... sad!

Anonymous: what? Why would it mean that I would take longer? I am taking longer, because I'm busy, though... and I thought they did get married...oh well. I'll check it out...it's going to be a while, I think...

Laelai: oops! So much for that!

Alannalovingwriter: yay fluff indeed...but no more...ï

Mage Light: thanks!

Lady of Masbolle: eh, I never really thought about that...so no, Daine was not really involved at all. Rhian just had control over the immortals because she is hella mage. Glad you liked it! That is one thing that bothers me about a lot of fanfictions (not just TP) that I notice I forget about myself. I am glad I go it right!

Alenor: whatever, glad you liked it!

PsychoLioness13: didn't you already give this review? Or have I just not updated in a REALLY long time? Anyway, it's because I am on this kick where I write like that... I am trying to get away from it. (I'm trying to get rid of the ... as well...it is driving me crazy, and I can't stop doing it!)

Macko: Thank you so much! I don't believe in flames myself, because I think anyone is capable of writing a good story, with a little help. I have nothing against being a little harsh, though, which sometimes can be even worse. You know, "your writing needs a lot of improvement because your writing style is infantile" or something of the such is a lot worse than "your writing really sucks." But, unlike the latter, it will hopefully help. I take things that my teachers say to me and try to apply them here... I'm sure that if I did an outline with my entire story before so that I get all the continuity right, it would all be so kickass!

ShadowPirate: Thank you so much! I am so proud of my reviews... I am going for 300 right now, because that would be sweet, especially since I have so much energy for this story, and I want to inevitably get up to 500.

PsychoLioness13: so true... I don't even like writing fluff!

Well, that is it for today. I hope I do not lose any loyal fans because of this (it could end up being fairly serious...it will certainly last a while, at least) and I hope you will all continue to enjoy this story. I just wanted to get away from the Kel/Dom thing without ruining a perfectly good story idea. Please tell me what you think of it (after the next chapter of course) and please review this chapter!

Review! Yay button! Wahoo!

"I bet one legend that keeps recurring throughout history, in every culture, is the story of Popeye."

Did I use this already? I can't remember...oh well, here's another!

"When you go in for a job interview, I think a good thing to ask is if they ever press charges."

-unolimbo

music that is happy: Cake: Wheels. Wheels is the best song ever. Listen to it.


	18. There Was Sun

Kel didn't know what to do with herself. She was alone now, with no one to watch over her, at least for a while. She could count on her friends to keep her company some of the time, but she couldn't expect them to stay there with her. She left her room often now, not only to eat and see her friends, but also to practice.

She realized after Dom left that she was defenceless. She had not been practicing for quite a while now, and knew that if she did not, she would have nothing against Rhian.

With practice, she at least had her strength. 

Kel was assigned two new guards. She did not know him well, though they were members of the Own whom she had seen before. One stood guard outside her room during the night, while the other stood at her room in the daytime and accompanied her everywhere.

She did not mind, really. They did not expect her to socialize with her, though they were polite. They knew that they were working, and did not expect to be treated as guests. They expected to be treated as though they were not there. That worked out nicely for Kel, finding it easy to leave her room comfortably and practice, or go to meals.

Kel never really expected it to happen. She had spent so much time preparing, and so much time waiting, that she did not think it would ever really happen.

So when she walked into her room after supper and there was a beautiful young woman sitting in a chair before her, Kel was surprised.

-----

Icy blue eyes stared up at Kel. "Welcome home, Lady Knight." She said.

Kel nodded politely to the woman. "Good evening, Rhian. I was wondering what was taking you so long. Took you a little while to recuperate after your little tussle with Numair?"

Rhian laughed coldly, crossing one long leg over the other. "Come now, Lady. Do not think so highly of your mage. It took me less then an hour to get over that. No, I was in Scanra, celebrating."

Kel raised an eyebrow, surprised at how calm she was staying. "Celebrating? You lost last time."

Rhian smiled and shrugged softly. "I won't have time to celebrate after this time. I thought I might as well do it before hand. And don't bother," she said, noticing Kel backing slowly towards the door, "your guard cannot hear you, nor can her get the door open. He distinctly heard you call goodnight to him, and you locked the door. To him, you are asleep right now." She stood up and walked towards Kel.

They stood across from each other, staring into each others eyes. Kel stood at least six inches above Rhian, but she knew that there was more to it than that – this woman was strong, and she would not back down to Kel.

"What is it you want with me?" Kel asked.

Rhian smiled at her again, brushing her long hair away from her face. Kel could have sworn she saw a flash of red in her eyes. "It is not what I want, Lady. It is what I will take. I will take you," she pointed at Kel, "and I will make you ours." She closed her hand into a tight fist. "You will be our greatest force."

Kel shook her head. "I will never come," she said. "It will not work."

Rhian stepped away from Kel, casually looking around the room. "I can control you, Keladry." Kel felt a wave of anger and fear run through her as the mage spoke her name. "I can control anything."

"So what is the point?"

Rhian shook her head slowly, smiling at Kel. "I'm not falling for all of this. I will tell you when we get there."

Before Kel could say anything, Rhian snapped her fingers, and all Kel could see was red smoke.

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Okay, I know this chapter was hella short, but it will continue very soon, I should hope. It was just so perfect!

Lady of Masbolle: thank you! I know, it is sad...

Macko: Does that answer your question?

DestinyHunter: so.. many... capital....letters... anywhoo, she is possibly older than that, because she spent about two years as a knight, I think, then she went to Tagnot for six years, and now I think it has been about another year. So she is closer to 26/27. I always get bored of her hiding her feelings and such...I also forget a lot.

Hydra-Star: I know exactly what you mean about calling Kel 'she.' My mother always told me, 'she is the cats mother.' On the other hand, I read somewhere or other that you should not repeat a word within fifteen words, because it sounds strange. Sometimes it makes sense to say 'she.' That is true, but I never consider looks to be an important factor in a character. I prefer to leave it up to the reader, unless their looks plays some part. Besides, all of my original characters are gone after the first chapter. So it doesn't really matter. Hmm... interesting. That does seem like a lot of effort, but I shall do my best. I must say, I have a tiny vocabulary...I can never think of ANYTHING to say. Thank you for all the ides and criticism!

ShadowPirate: thank you, I am doing great! I keep truckin'! Shudder at saying that...

SO/JV: OMG! I don't really understand what you are talking about. I never realized how difficult it was to read with all those ...s! Anyway, if you email me with your query (ooh, big word!) then I shall be happy to help you!

PsychoLioness13: fhew, I thought you were going to complain about something! Gah! Thank you!

Laelai: I am just so glad I thought of it.

Alannalovingwriter: he's not that stupid...he just should have told her, is all!

Wake-Robin: well, we can't always get what we want, eh?

Dreamerdoll: thank you, thank you, thank you!

Well, that's all for now. I hope you enjoyed it, I should like to have the next chapter up in a few days.

Enjoy!

"To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other."

-unolimbo


	19. Powerless

"Why are you doing this?" Kel asked, spinning around, trying to see something in the blackness she was standing in.

Rhian appeared before her. Kel could see nothing but her smiling face. "Make yourself comfortable, Keladry," she said. "This is your home now."

Kel spat at her feet. "This can never be my home." She said, angered.

Rhian just smiled. "I am afraid you are mistaken," she said, and snapped her fingers. Before Kel could do anything, she felt a cold air against her back and fell unconscious.

Kel woke up in darkness, as she had been when she had fallen unconscious. It was different, though. She could feel that she was not on the floor as she had been before, but on something of a bed or chaise lounge. She slipped off of it and walked toward a reddish light she could see on the other side of the room. There was a window behind it, she could see, covered in some thick, blood coloured fabric.

Kel pushed the fabric to the side and frowned at the sight she saw out of the window. Scanran landscape, as far as the eye could see. She knew it was Scanra instantly, she recognized the scraggly landscape with the sparse trees and distant mountains. She also recognized the men below her. She could see barracks below her, large, light haired men pouring out of them into the morning sunlight. Kel's head spun as she looked down, and she quickly stepped away.

She was high, very high. Probably in a castle, so she thought. She pushed open the curtains completely, bathing the room in warm light.

The room was beautiful. The blood red cloth that covered the windows covered the walls of the circular room as well, making the room seem like one giant cushion. A large four poster bed sat at the other side of the room. A small table with one chair, the chaise lounge she had been on earlier, and a bookcase with many, many books stood to her left. A hearth, which Kel noticed was now lit, as if by magic, was on her right, set in an uncovered stone wall.

Kel's armour, sword, and glaive lay against the wall by her bed.

No one came all day. There was no door to the room, only a small trapdoor in the floor, which Kel pushed the bookcase over when night fell, just in case.

She found some food in a chest near the fire, fresh cheese and fruit and bread and wine, but ate little.

She sat down on the chaise lounge, her back rigid and unmoving, her hands folded neatly across her lap. She held her head high and stared forward out the open window, through which she could see only the passing clouds on the darkening sky.

Rhian appeared in the morning, rendering Kel's bookcase useless. Kel looked at her, unmoving.

Rhian smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling with the reflection of the fire that she quickly relit. "Please forgive me, my lady," she said sweetly, "I thought you would find this room comfortable."

Kel looked at the mage, searching her face. "I can find no comfort here." She said, her voice strong and clear, showing no signs of the fear that swam through her body.

Rhian sighed. "Well, I shan't put all this effort into your room if you are not to use it." She snapped her fingers, and every luxury that Kel had been permitted was gone.

The cloth was replaced with the cold stone that lined the hearth, only the hearth was gone, replaced by a single candle. The chaise lounge she was sitting on hardened into a stone bench. The books, food, and table disappeared. The bed, still untouched, was replaced by a bale of hay.

The windows were few and barred. Kel cursed under her breath.

Rhian smiled again. "Well, Keladry, do you have anything to say? Or shall I leave you for the day?"

Kel stood up. "Tell me why you are here, Rhian." She said.

Rhian sighed. "Of course. You are a strong leader, Keladry. you could do great things, but your country is holding you back. I could control this entire realm and more, but I do not wish to. I have no need to control the world, it only means more work. But I was willing to retrieve one last warrior. One warrior to lead the Scanran people to victory over Tortall, over Galla and Tusaine and the Copper Isles, even over the Carthaki Empire. Everywhere. You are that warrior, Keladry, and you will lead Scanra to victory."

Kel scoffed. "I would never." She said, her eyes narrowed. And she wouldn't. Tortall and all of the realm as part of Scanra? And Kel would be the one to do it? It was preposterous.

Rhian sighed. "Think of your choices, Keladry. it is not like we are going to send you back from whence you came."

Kel just glared at the mage until she disappeared. Kel broke down in tears as soon as she was gone. What was she expected to do? She would not, could not lead the Scanrans against Tortall. She would rather die. But did Rhian mean that as her option? There could be no other. Scanra, or death.

She would take death.

-----

Weeks passed. A guard came into Kel's room every morning, to check that Kel was still there and to leave a plate of stale bread and water by the trap door. Kel did not like that there was a man coming into her room every morning, often as she slept. She tried to wake early, but the cold of the room froze her heart and soul and made her sleepy. The guards would sometimes come in and look at her, but she luckily awoke at the clatter of their entrance. Who knew what else they wished to do.

After a few days, Kel pushed her stone bench over the trapdoor. It was difficult work, taking her a long time, exhausting her. No more men came after that, but Rhian appeared at daybreak each morning to check on her.

"I am only leaving your bench because I know you will just move it again." She said sharply. "Luckily, this does not interfere greatly with my schedule."

Kel slowly became unafraid of Rhian. Her power was strong, but she was unintelligent and simple. She never thought to chain Kel's bench to the wall. She had told Kel her plan directly, meaning Kel could train her mind against falling into the traps of believing in Scanra.

Rhian was but a puppet, powerful enough to get what she wanted, but there was something more. A flicker of fear in her eyes some mornings, before her face fell back to it's cold self. If Rhian was as powerful as she said she was, why had she not just transported the Scanran army to Corus directly, making it impossible for Kel to scout her and warn the Tortallans? Numair had beaten her, though not completely.

Kel hoped she would not be there forever.

-----

"She's gone, Dom." Neal was standing in the doorway, ashen.

Dom looked up at him, confused. "Who?"

"Kel."

Dom closed his eyes. They had all known it would happen soon. Dom had told himself he would try and talk to her some time, but now he had lost that chance. Kel was gone. "What about the guards?" He asked, unmoving.

He heard Neal shrug. "The guard said that Kel said goodnight to him and when he went to check on her this morning, the door was locked. He knocked, and there was no answer. When he broke down the door, there was nothing left in her room. The only thing that was gone besides Kel was her weapons and armour. He did not know why."

Dom sighed. "Maybe she decided to leave in the night." He said. "Bored of being watched." He said the words more sharply than he intended.

"No," Neal said. "They checked outside her room. The windows were still locked, and there were no footprints outside her room."

"Why are you telling me this, Neal?" He looked at his cousin.

"Why in god's name wouldn't I tell you?" His cousin shouted. "She is gone, probably somewhere in Scanra, if not dead, and I thought you bloody well might like to know!"

Dom turned his head. Almost seven weeks it had been since he had spoken to her. Kel's image still haunted him, like a ghost of some past wrong. He still loved her, with all his heart, but she fell farther and farther from him each day. She did not speak to him when she passed him. She did not even look at him. She was always 'just leaving' the practice courts or the dining hall when he arrived, and if he was there before her, she would sit as far away from him as she could, speaking with friends he did not know so well. "Well what do you expect me to do?" He shouted back.

Neal frowned at his cousin. "I just thought you might like to know. Seeing as you love her, and all that."

He turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

Though Dom was not involved in it, he learned that there was a fair amount of arguing over whether Kel should be sent out for or not. Some said it was a waste of men, sending an army after one knight. Others said that it was their duty to get her. Some said she would be dead already. Others, mostly Kel's friends, said that it would be more dangerous not to go for her.

Almost a week after Neal had told him, Dom received an order. Two squads of the Own, his own included, were to be sent out in search of Kel. they would be accompanied by a troupe of knights who insisted on attending: Neal, Alanna, Merric, Owen, Seaver, Faleron and Esmond.

They set out for Scanra the next morning.

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Ooh... so little, yet so much happened in this chapter!

Alannalovingwriter: I know, don't worry!

Wannabe Archeologist: thanks!

Lady of Masbolle: he is so angsty it's not even funny. Wait, yes it is!

AJ 4EVA: of course!

Mage Light: Ooh, love4! Wahoo!

Macko: tru dat.

ShadowPirate: sounds good... and yes, just wait, you'll find out!

SO/JV: cool! Damnit, I tried, okay?

PsychoLioness13: ha, thanks. (I am also so proud of her name... I looked it up on a baby names website, it means 'magic maiden.' Pretty cool, eh?)

Daisyduke947: wow, thanks!

"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know."

"We tend to scoff at the beliefs of the ancients. But we can't scoff at them personally, to their faces, and this is what annoys me."

Ooh, two quotes, because I haven't posted in a while...

-unolimbo

p.s: keep up the good work with the reviews, this story is doing the best for the number of chapters it's got! Love you all!


	20. Outside Looking In

Kel was tested every day. Every day she was offered a proper bed, a cup of warm wine, a toilet. Every day, she refused. Rhian was getting angry. She had taken to offering Kel the world every day; innumerable riches; the finest silks and furs; jewels and gold; dogs and fine wines. Kel bit her tongue until it bled, not allowing herself to show any want. All the while that Rhian was offering her this, she was giving Kel less and less. Soon she was given only a small cup of water and a crust of bread to eat, and no chamber pot. She was surviving only on the hope that she would someday go home.

Winter came and went, the temperature dropping lower than Kel thought she could bear. Slowly stripped of her clothes, finding herself left naked on the stone with a small, thin blanket she was given. She knew it was given only to keep her from death, but that did not matter to her. She gulped her cold water that she was given every day quickly, before it froze, dreaming that it was wine or cider. She worked out a system for those cold winter nights, that she often used in the daytime as well. She lay on the stone bench, wrapped in her thin blanket, and she covered herself with hay to keep the heat in. She sang to herself. She did not want to forget and fall into Rhian's trap, so she sang. She sang every song of Tortall she knew, singing herself to sleep every night.

_Away, away, afar from here,_

_A nightingale sings break of day,_

_Away, away, away from this fear,_

_I long to go back home today._

_Years from now, when I am old,_

_My body has weakened_

_And my heart grown cold,_

_I will still go home to Tortall._

She would never desert Tortall. She would get home some day.

She saw many things from her window in the castle, far more than they should have allowed her to. She learned that she was in Castle Rathhausak, and that whoever was leading now was planning an attack. Men were gathered from the far corners of Scanra, way into the north where few dared venture. The army was growing. A massive reserve of men, 40,000 at least, preparing to attack.

But where? Galla was probably the closet place, but Tortall was easily the greater threat to Scanra. She had plenty of time to think about it. She had plenty of time to think about everything, in fact. More and more often as she sat in her room, she found her thoughts wandering towards Dom. He could occupy her mind for hours; his face his body, his voice. She tried to forget him, to think of other things that hurt less, but lost love is not a thing easily forgotten. She did not even know if she still loved him. It was hard to know when she could not even see his face. She had told herself that she would talk to him, but now the idea seemed even more ludicrous.

She did not know if she would ever see him again.

-----

The cold air nipped at their faces, their horses trudged painfully on the frozen roads. Winter was coming, but they weren't any closer to finding Kel. They journeyed far into Scanra, through villages and towns, past farms and fields.

They sang merry songs and spoke idle chatter, but in their hearts, they knew they were journeying towards the black.

"Where are we going to look?" Neal asked anxiously. "There is the entire kingdom of Scanra to look through, we are looking for one woman, who will probably be very well hidden!"

Alanna looked at him gravely. "We will start where we are, at the road, and travel in a zigzag through Scanra until we find Keladry. If you believe that this is a hopeless trek, than you may leave and go home."

Neal looked down. "That's not what I meant." They heard him mutter.

Merric rode up beside Neal and grinned. "Don't worry, Neal, we know you want Kel back just as much as the rest of us, maybe even more. She was your best friend."

"Is!" Alanna and Owen cried together.

Merric winced. "Is, I meant is!" He said quickly, recovering his deathly mistake.

They spoke of their plans for a long while, deciding which direction to go, what their disguise and excuse for being there would be, should they ever be caught. Dom stayed silent though all of the talk.

He did not know why he was there. Everyone else was there for their friend. They were there for Kel, there so they could see her face again.

If he had the choice, he would not have come.

He knew it was selfish of him, but he could not bear it any longer. His comrades spoke greatly of their memories of Kel, of what she had done for them that made them search for her.

Dom should have had more reasons than anyone. _He loved her._ Was there any reason greater, any reason more glorious? If there was not, why did he wish he was at home in his bed?

Kel had left him. She had cast him out, shunned him, she had _punched him_, for god's sake. He had been trying to protect her. He had been trying to love her. But that was not good enough for her. Lady Keladry, Protector of the Small, Lady Knight of Tortall – she had not wanted help. She wanted to be left alone to her fate, left alone to the forces that would some day take her, as they did every knight. If she could not fight them off herself, then she would die.

Of course he did not want her to die. Of course he wanted to save her. Of course he wanted to get her back. Of course he wanted to tell her he was sorry, to tell her he loved her. She was just so bloody _stubborn_. She did not want him rescuing her, so why should he die trying to?

"It's not true." Neal said, sitting down beside Dom. Dark would fall soon, and they would have to extinguish their fire. Everyone was huddling close to it, feeling the last draughts of warmth emitting from it. But Dom was sitting on a freezing log, looking at the icy river at which they were camped.

He looked up at his cousin. "What's not true?" He asked, engrossed in his own thoughts.

"She would want to see you here." He said. Before Dom could look at him in shock, Neal continued: "You're questioning why you are here. Kel doesn't love you anymore, she doesn't care for you; why would she want you to come out here with her friends? But she would. It would be worse if she was rescued and found that you were not there, that you had not the care nor the necessity to give your heart to her, even after she shunned you." He smiled at his elder cousin. "When she comes out of wherever she is, she should see you."

Dom chuckled. "I don't know how you do it, Neal." He said. "Either you understand absolutely nothing, or far more than anyone ever could. You are an enigma, my dear Meathead."

Neal clapped him on the back. "And you wouldn't have it any other way."

Dom stood up. "I'm going to bed."

-----

"We will be going west off of the Smiskir Road towards Kimtir. It is a large- by Scanran standards- town. There is hope that we will find Kel there."

"Well of course there's hope." Neal said dryly. "We aren't going to find anything bloody else there."

Faleron clapped Neal on the back. "Cheer up, mate! Maybe you can find a nice Scanran lass to give you-"

Alanna slapped Faleron on the back of the head. "If you finish that sentence, you will never see the light of day again." She said sharply, her eyes flashing.

"Careful, My Lord!" One of the men of the Own called out. "Those redheads are feisty ones!"

Merric batted his lashes. "What can I say, I have a lot to live for..." Faleron punched him before he could finish the sentence.

This time, Dom did not sit to the side in thought.

He stood with his friends, proud to be on the journey to bring back the Protector of the Small.

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I am actually really happy with how this section of the story worked out. I did not have it in my original notes, but I realized that I would be going to fast, so I added in more about their trip to find her – it was supposed to be them going to towns and such, meeting folks, but this just all fell into place. I loved making Dom all angsty and shit!

J9482002: ok, ok!

Lady of Masbolle: Haha – I like that! "he's turning blonde." That is so good! Wow, I'm easily amused...

ShadowPirate: Actually, it is way fun – the first part of this chapter with Kel took me almost three days to write – and the rest took me less than an hour. And I want to keep going!

Wake-Robin: Wahoo!

Alannalovingwriter: I know they're evil, but hey, this one is not a cliffie, right?

Dreamerdoll: I know, I know. She is a serious profanity. But what goes around, comes around – wait, that isn't what I meant at all. What I meant was, nobody's perfect. Where did that first one come from?

AJ 4EVA: of course!

Mage Light: thanks!

PsychoLioness13: I actually thought about that, quite a lot. I was not going to have Raoul go at all, and I didn't realize I had put him in at all until I looked back at the end of this chapter to check something. I agree, he really shouldn't be there and I am taking him out. Bye, bye, Raoul! And for Alanna, she cannot be refused. The king cannot tell her what she can and can't do; she would just go. The point was that none of them were really supposed to be go, they just refused not to. And the squad is under the command of Dom, that is why he is there.

Animelover8831: I did not know that Corus had walls – I have not read the immortal series, I vaguely remember making up some thinly veiled excuse as to why they were there.

Macko: well, it is sort of a 'life is just going to get worse for you if you don't, I can give you the world if you do' thing. It is almost like she is trying to gain her trust, because she is letting Kel come to it herself. Make sense? It is a smart plan, but it doesn't really work on strong willed people.

Zero-chads-girl: thanks, I will!

SO/JV: grr... damn you and your paying attention! Stop that! and I am sure your story is not bad. There is no such thing as a bad story; only a bad writer. Jokes, that's a lie too. There can be badly written stories, but that doesn't make them bad- get my drift?

Nessa: ooh, I'm so scared... you don't know where I live, right? Because I usually don't give out my info to strangers – wait, are you that creepy person who keeps phoning me and breathing heavily into the mouthpiece? OH GOD, SAVE ME NOW! Haha, just kidding. They already arrested that guy.

"Probably the earliest flyswatters were nothing more than some sort of striking surface attached to the end of a long stick."

Enjoy!

-unolimbo


	21. Take Me Out

"We don't normally get too many visitors in this here town." An elderly Scanran man, still tall and strong, but wrinkled and with pale grey hair, was speaking to them in heavily accented Scanran.

Dom struggled to understand what he was saying, but quickly adjusted to the accent. "We are looking for land." He said forcefully. "We are just passing though, is there somewhere we may rest for the night?"

The old Scanran smiled; he had no teeth. The Scanrans did not keep well over time. "There ain't no inn big enough for yeh all in this here town. We don't get many visitors, like I said already." He looked at them seriously as he spoke, as if his words could rat out a non Scanran. "But we could easily give yeh a nice dry barn to sleep your men in. Yeh gotta promise yeh won't burn it down, though." He cackled. "I'm just fooling witcha." He said, waving his hand dismissively. "Welcome to Kimtir. If yeh need food, just knock on any doors. They'll be happy to share – for a price." He grinned at them again. "Course, there ain't much yeh can get that don't have a price on it's head," he said. "Cept maybe disease!" He laughed again until he started choking, and the group quickly pushed their horses on, leaving the old man behind to call more welcomes to their backs.

They did indeed get a warm barn to sleep in – a very fancy one, at that. "It's abandoned." The farmer told them. "We built a new one, but we ain't got the resources to but this one down yet. We're waiting a bit."

Esmond let out a low whistle. "They treat their cattle better than we treat out peasants!" He groaned.

Neal shook his head. "It gets bloody cold up here, Esmond. And we're nearing the coast. They can only leave their cattle out a few months a year, this is more of a home to these cows than the fields are."

Alanna frowned. "And if we don't stop discussing this so loudly, we will end up worse than the cattle!" She said. "Now shut up and go collect firewood. Esmond, Seaver, you two are on dinner duty tonight. Enjoy!"

The two knights grimaced and set to work starting the fire while the others collected firewood from the forest surrounding the fields.

Dom set up his tent in the barn for extra insulation and privacy, taking a secluded spot that was still very close to the entrance, just in case.

As he lay, thoughts that had not plagued him for days came rushing back.

Why was he here?

Because you were assigned to be here, he told himself. But he told himself another reason as well. "Because you love her." He whispered.

He would not let that love die until he had Kel back in his arms, and he could tell her he was sorry.

They discreetly began their search in the morning. They said that they were stopped for gathering food, but also to give their horses a break – they had been traveling a long while. Those reasons seemed good enough for the villagers of Kimtir, who were more than happy to oblige with the search for 'food.' After two days in Kimtir, they learned from a villager who also happened to despise being Scanran: there was no where to keep someone in Kimtir, nor in any of the west. That was solely left to the east, where the roads and rivers meet, and the sun rises early in the morning.

So, three days after arriving in Kimtir, they journeyed back from whence they came, moving steadily eastward, towards the Smiskir Road.

Winter fell as they traveled east, and they found it necessary to move into the deep woods where they could not be followed. The trek was long and dangerous, but they all knew it had to be done.

They were much quieter after winter fell. They tried to laugh and be merry, but their hearts grew heavy with cold and longing.

They did not stop, even though they all wanted to see their own beds again.

"If we turn around now," Alanna had said to them, loudly, "Kel will never see her bed again, and she will die, locked up in some dungeon somewhere."

No one dared leave after that; no one wanted to. They trudged along through the snow and ice, searching for where Kel could be. When they came to the Smiskir Road, they continued eastwards toward the border towns.

They did not find anything there. They spent a month touring from town to town, asking confidantes if they knew of anything, but they all came up with naught. They only had one place left to check, the place that they had all prayed they would not have to go to find Kel.

They were going to Castle Rathhausak.

-----

They did not get there until winters end. They could not risk being seen in the towns around the Castle, and thus they travelled the entire way through the woods.

The snow was melting. They would be able to move quickly and easily soon, able to walk along the rocky roads instead of through the deep woods. They had been searching for months now, since long before the first frost. Even after all of the towns they searched and villagers they spoke to, there was still nothing.

They were running out of time. All of them were needed at home, many of them with loved ones to support, duties to uphold. It would take them years to search all of Scanra, and they only had food to last them through the summer.

They knew that if Kel was not at Rathhausak, there was nothing left for them. But would Kel be there? If she was, could they even get to her? they didn't know how difficult it would be until they arrived at the castle.

"Mithros," Dom muttered, looking over the ledge they were perched on. "there must be 50,000 men down there. How are we supposed to find one woman?"

Neal grimaced. He did not want to die on frozen Scanran ground, but he would never leave Kel to her fate. "Do we know a way in?"

Alanna shook her head. "We have the basic blueprints of the castle from Myles, but we don't have any secret routes past 50 thousand men."

They looked down at the men on the ground, at the town and to the left of the castle, and at the castle itself.

After a long silence, a thought came to Dom. "She's in there." He said.

Neal looked at him, puzzled. "How do you know?"

Dom pointed at the castle. "What do you notice about that tower?"

Neal squinted up at the castle and shook his head. "No clue. It's the tallest?"

"Look closer." Dom said. Everyone looked up.

"Bars!" Seaver cried out. "There are bars on the windows!"

Dom nodded his head, and Neal just looked confused. "I don't get it."

Faleron rolled his eyes. "The windows are barred, Neal. Why do you put bars on a window?"

"To keep people from getting out. But I don't see how – ohhh." He said, with a look of astonishment on his face. "But dungeons are not on the top floor."

Everyone stopped smiling. He was right. Why would Rhian keep Kel above ground? Alanna checked the plans, there were indeed dungeons underground, and it said nothing of the tower at all. It was probably just some nobles room, a man with young children who could fall out of such high windows.

-----

Kel sat in the sunlight by the window, wrapped in the thin blanket that scratched at her skin. It was still freezing cold, but curled up in her blanket with the sun on her face, Kel almost felt at home.

Almost.

She stood up, still wrapped in the blanket, stretching her stiff muscles. Standing up was getting harder. She was malnourished, dehydrated, and probably hypothermic. She rose in the day time only to retrieve her food from the trapdoor, and to stretch her legs and check at how large the army below her was growing.

It had not changed since yesterday. Squads of men were coming almost every day now, but none had come yesterday. Sighing, Kel sat back down on the bench and began to methodically comb her fingers through her hair.

-----

But a squad _had_ come since she had last looked. They were standing on a ledge overlooking the ravine that held the town and the barracks, directly across from the castle, and slightly higher.

"Goddess bless." Alanna said weakly. "She must have already, there is no other way this could have happened."

Dom smiled weakly as everyone looked to Alanna, confused. He had seen it too. "Kel's in the tower." He said.

Everyone turned and looked up, but no one was there, just an empty window. "Are you sure?" Neal asked sceptically.

Alanna shook her head. "No, I'm not." She said, her brow furrowed.

Dom shrugged it off. "It was her."

Faleron frowned. "How can you know? We can't just go running in there to find out that it is some Scanran girl."

Dom looked at the wary faces. "I'd know Kel if I saw her." He said.

"How are we going to get in?" Neal asked with a sigh.

Alanna grinned, a steely glint in her bright eyes. "That's where my plans come in," she said. "we need to know this castle off by heart."

They spent three days studying the castle, both the plans and what they could see of it, until every soul in their party could draw it perfectly from memory.

Then, their horses fed and watered, their bellies full and their ears and eyes open, they prepared to get into the castle.

-----

Though they did not know, things had gotten worse for Kel in those three days, if that was possible. She was beaten within an inch of her life by the guards, and fierce red welts were raised all along her back. She could barely move. She drifted in and out of consciousness for three days, not rising for anything, only sitting up enough to drink her water, which she was also given less of. Rhian was growing more and more impatient.

"Is this what you want, Keladry?" She shouted the guard kicked Kel in the stomach. "I am offering you everything!"

The guard kicked Kel in the stomach again, and she doubled over on the ground, biting her tongue to stop herself from crying.

The guard standing over Kel kept kicking her until Rhian held up a hand. "Enough." She said. She stepped closer to Kel's bruised, bleeding body and leaned down so that her face was very close to Kel's. "Was that enough?" She whispered. "Are you ready to accept my proposition, Keladry? I can make it so that it never hurts again."

Kel slowly opened her swollen eyes and looked at Rhian, who smiled at her. Gathering up all the strength, she spit.

Rhian stood up in disgust, wiping a gob of blood and spit off of her white face. It left a pale pink spot on her cheek. "Fine." She said, turning around with a puff of a cloak, and disappearing. The guard disappeared with her, and Kel was left, bleeding and crying, curled in a ball in the middle of the cold room.

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ooh, chapter 21... and according to the computer, chapter 20 isn't even up! Oh well... I seem to have reviews from it already... my computer is messed!

Smiles28: ooh... this chapter, and the next one, make me really happy!

Alannalovingwriter: it's true, she's a wee bit of a dunce. It's one of those 'power is not brains' things. She has power, she just doesn't know how to use it. Of course, if she were smarter, she probably _would_ be unstoppable... creepy!

Wake-Robin: yay for wisdom! But it doesn't seem to happen very often...

PsychoLioness13: I'm glad you thought so; I was afraid that it wasn't right. I just really liked it, so I left it in!

Well, tis all for now, please enjoy!

"I think someone should have had the decency to tell me the luncheon was free. To make someone run out with potato salad in his hand, pretending he's throwing up, is not what I call hospitality."

-unolimbo


	22. A Girl Worth Fighting For

Getting into the castle was easier than they expected. The castle was not heavily guarded – the royalty of Scanra probably assumed that with 50,000 men at their doorstep, they had little to worry about. But the soldiers of Scanra did not care for dilly-dallying. They did not listen to orders as simple as that, and thus, they slept.

The party snuck into the castle late in the night, but that was just the easy part. They had to get up to the highest tower, and the castle was _swarming_ with men.

"We can't do this!" Dom hissed. "There are too many of us, we will be caught instantly!"

Alanna nodded gravely. "We should send some men back. If we all get caught, we are going to have nothing left!"

Dom nodded. "So who's staying?" They all looked at each other. They quickly came to an agreement: the men of the Own would go back to the campsite, along with most of the knights. Knowing they may have Kel unable to walk, the strongest and stealthiest men stayed in the castle.

Dom, Faleron, Merric and Neal stayed, while the rest quietly snuck back out of the castle to their campsite.

"How are we going to do this?" Faleron asked.

Neal furrowed his brow. "I think we should go straight there. Avoid everyone we can, kill anyone who gets in our way."

Dom closed his eyes. There were so many ways this plan could go wrong. He opened his eyes and looked at them. "Let's go." He said, drawing his sword.

Silently, they crept through the halls of Castle Rathhausak. Higher and higher they went, sneaking behind and around people in the halls, until they reached the third floor.

"There's no one here." Merric whispered.

Neal shook his head after looking around the corner. "There are four guards standing at the base of the stairs. I think they are guarding the stairs to where they are keeping Kel. We have no choice but to be rid of them."

Dom nodded. "I have a plan."

Sheathing his sword, Neal sauntered out, grinning. "Morning, gents!" He called out to the men at the bottom of the stairs. They looked at each other, but Neal continued. "What are you doing hanging out here?" He asked. "It's the middle of the night, not time to be milling around!" He said with a grin.

They looked at him sceptically, but he just held out his hand. "Nealan. You?"

The first man slowly put his hand into Neal's. "Todar." He said slowly.

Neal grinned. "Interesting." He said. Before the men could ask him what he was doing there, he pulled out his sword and gutted the first man. Dom, Faleron, and Merric ran down the hall towards him, their swords before them, and killed the other three men.

They pulled them through the first door they saw before they bled onto the floor. Neal then took the first man's armour and put it on.

"I'll see you on the way down." He said weakly.

Dom nodded briskly and ran up the stairs.

It was dark. No lanterns lit the way, and Merric quickly ran down and retrieved one from the wall beside where Neal was standing guard. They walked down the dark hallway, swords still drawn. They did not know what to expect.

"Do you see anything?" Faleron whispered.

Dom shook his head. "Wait-" he said, peering up the small, winding staircase above them, "I see a light."

Silently he crept up the stairs, and sure enough, there was a guard standing there. Dom, under the cover of shadow, silently killed the man. "Come on!" He hissed down the stairs to Merric and Faleron, who ran up to join him.

"This trapdoor here." He said. "I know she is behind it. But there is something blocking it. It won't budge."

He threw his weight at it, but nothing happened. Merric just grinned. "Being at Haven and New Hope those years taught me a few things." He said. "One of them was to use what you've got."

He took his sword and placed it, tip up, against the screw on the trapdoor. "This might not work," he said, using his sword as a screwdriver, "if this weight covers the entire trapdoor. If it only covers the end that opens, though, than we should be able to lever it. up." A moment later, they had taken out all of the screws, and Dom pushed up on the trap door. It popped up slightly, but he could not get it completely up.

"Help me push!" He grunted, pushing up. Faleron and Merric helped him, and after three strong pushes, they shoved the door out of the way.

Dom scrambled up and poked his head through the door, looking around the large room.

It smelled strongly of urine and dirt, and it was empty. All that was there was a small lump of a thing curled in the middle of the room. Dom squinted in the moonlight to see it. "Kel?" He whispered. He pushed himself into the room and ran over; it was Kel. She was naked and bruised and thin, but she was alive. Unconscious, but alive.

Tears sprang to his eyes, but Dom forced them back. Now was not the time. He scooped Kel's limp body up and wrapped her in a thin blanket he found on the floor. She was light, and that bothered him.

He quickly stepped back down through the door.

"Let's go." He said, running down the stairs, Faleron and Merric staring ashen behind him. They were shocked at the limp thing in Dom's arms, but they did not pause; Faleron ran ahead of Dom, his sword out, and Merric behind. They had only to get out of the castle.

Neal was standing where they had left him, looking utterly terrified. "Rhian was here." He said. "Not fifteen minutes ago. She asked me why I was here alone," he said, running alongside Dom, "and I told her that Todar was feeling sick and I was covering for him. She evaporated in front of me, then appeared a moment later. She said that Kel was still out, and she would come back in the morning, when it was time to give Kel her breakfast." He shook his head, looking at Kel. "I should've killed her right there." He said coldly.

Faleron shook his head. "You would've been dead before your stroke fell." He said.

Neal knew this was true, but he had an idea. "I took these from Kel's room before we left." He said, pulling a pile of griffin feathers out of his pocket. "Hopefully, they will do more than just letting us see through spells."

Dom nodded, and they all tied the feathers to their heads, hidden under strips of fabric.

They had not run into anyone yet, which was odd. Could it be that the late hour of the night meant that everyone had gone to sleep, not expecting any action till the morning?

Dom chose not to think about it; he just ran.

But when they got outside the castle, they realized how wrong they had been about that plan.

50,000 men were waiting for them.

"Oh, bloody hell." Neal said.

They ran. They ran as fast as they could, away from the men. But they were tired and weak, and they carried a burned. The Scanrans were catching up. They would have to get to their horses, or fight.

The men were not fifty feet away, and gaining steadily, when Merric cried out. "Look!" He cried. "Horses!"

And there, coming towards them, were five horses: only one with a rider. Alanna nodded briskly at them as she brought her horse to a halt. "Good to see you," she said. "We were getting worried."

They leapt onto their horses as quickly as they could and galloped away. The Scanrans tried to chase them, but their cavalry was behind their footmen, and could not pass them.

They were going to escape.

Dom's horse was tiring. He was carrying not only Dom's weight, but the minimal weight of Kel's limp body in his arms. Still, this was enough to tire the horse. They stopped before nightfall. They camped far off the road, in a hidden clearing with a large cliff on one side for protection.

They set up their tents quickly and went to sleep. They did not light a fire, it was too risky. Dom covered Kel's broken body in his spare clothes and laid her in his bedroll. The night was cold, and she was almost dead.

He lay there, staring at her face in the moonlight. Her right eye was swollen and purple. A large welt spread across her collar and neck. Her lips were cracked and split and bleeding, and her breathing was erratic and rare.

But she was alive. She lay there, unconscious, in the bedroll beside Dom. He knew Rhian would come for her, probably in the morning. She was lazy. He slept lightly, ready to wake at any sound in the forest.

No one came in the night. No soldiers, no mage. Kel was still unconscious, but her body was warmer, and she was breathing. He hoped she would wake up soon, so he could feed her.

What he did not expect, though, was to see Rhian leaning on a tree outside his tent.

She smiled when she saw him. "Good morning. Domitan, is it? Keladry's knight in shining armour, I presume?"

Dom glared at her. "I am not a knight." He said.

"Ah." Rhian looked him over. He was dressed for the day, his sword at his side, his griffin feathers under his helm. "Well, Domitan, as I am sure you know, I have come o retrieve my general."

Dom did not flinch. "She is not yours."

Rhian laughed. "Oh, but I imagine she is yours, is she? I'm sorry, sir, but you cannot have her back-"

Dom pulled out his sword and swung at her. She jumped back and screeched, a thin veil of blood dripping down the torso of her dress. "I'm bleeding!" She cried. "You attacked me!" She looked at him, scandalized. "Why would you do that?" She cried.

Dom stepped forward. "Because you are evil, Rhian." He said, lifting his sword again.

She frowned. "I was only doing what I was told! I didn't know it would turn out this way!"

Dom knew she was not going to go that easily. But what he did know was that Neal was slowly, silently, creeping up behind Rhian.

"Sir, please!" She cried, lifting her hand, about to do something that Dom did not even want to think about – when Neal's sword came down. It pierced through fur, silk, flesh and bone, until it emerged the other side.

Rhian let out a gasp of air. "No!" She cried. "NO!" She creamed louder than he had ever heard anyone scream. Her voice filled the air with an echo that reverberated off of everything around them, her magic swirling and rising away from her dying body...

Kel woke with a start, her eyes shooting open. Her lungs did not agree, and she coughed. She was not in her room in the castle, but in a tent somewhere. Weakly, she sat up. She was in a bedroll. _She was clothed_. She looked down at the heavy wool cloth she was wearing. It was the colours of the King's Own, the royal blue that all of the Own's gear was coloured in. And it was bordered in green and brown. The colours of Masbolle.

"Dom." She whispered, the very name scratching through her parched throat and mouth. "Dom."

Suddenly, the tent flap opened – someone was there – and Kel quickly grabbed the knife laying beside her pillow. There, staring wide-eyed at the door of the tent, was Dom.

Kel swayed slightly. She had moved too fast picking up the knife, and she could not support herself. Dom caught her before she fell over.

"Kel." He said, hugging her tightly, painfully, "Kel, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I was afraid you were dead this whole time, I'm sorry I did that. I didn't know what Rhian had done to you..."

Kel closed her eyes as he spoke. She knew he was speaking of two things at once. "Dom," she said quietly, "it's alright. I forgive you."

Dom pulled back and looked her in the eye. He was fighting back tears. Kel did not cry, fearing she did not have enough water in her body to do it. "here." Dom said, pulling out a piece of bread and some dried fruit, "eat this." Kel ate the entire thing almost instantly.

Kel swayed again, then stuck her head out of the tent and vomited up everything he had just given her.

Dom smiled weakly. "You have not eaten that much in a long time." He said. "Your body can't take it."

Kel nodded silently. "Here." Dom said, handing her a much smaller piece of dried fruit. "Eat this, and eat it slowly."

Kel took it from him with stiff fingers and ate it while he searched for something. "Water." He said, shaking the canteen before her. "I think you need some."

"Mithros, thank you." Kel said, taking the canteen and emptying it.

Dom laughed. "I would have thought you would thank me."

Kel smiled and lay down again. "Thank you, Dom." She said, reaching up and touching his face. He took her hand.

"You can't go to sleep, Kel," he said softly. "There is an army chasing us. We must run."

Kel nodded, her eyes already closed. Dom sighed and picked her up, carrying her out of the tent.

Neal was sitting on the ground beside the bloody corpse of Rhian. "Is she not awake yet?" He asked, astonished.

Dom shook his head. "She awoke and ate a piece of fruit and had some water. She's still pretty weak. But we can't stay here."

Neal nodded. "We'll get your tent, we should go."

Moments later, they were on their horses again, Kel asleep in front of Dom, Rhian still lying sprawled on the ground.

"May the goddess bless her soul." Alanna said, making the symbol against evil on her chest. "Mithros protect us."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So god damned happy! I love it!

Eeppoonnaa: thanks!

Lady of Masbolle: hmm... you're right, that is a little odd.

Mage Light: thanks!

"To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kind of scary. I've wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus, and a clown killed my dad."

-unolimbo

enjoy!


	23. The Voyage

They rode down the Smiskir Road for days on end, and never, no matter how high or low they were, did they see an army chasing them. They traveled quickly, wanting to get back to a proper healer as fast as they could.

They were back in Tortall within the week. They took Kel to a healer in Anak's Eyrie, the first fief they came to. Neal had tried to help when they were still in Scanra, but he was cold and tired and did not have the power to do much until he himself got some rest.

They stayed there for three days while Kel rested, and when she emerged on the third, day, her face was no longer swollen and the welts across her collarbone were receding, but she still looked massively underweight and sick.

"Just give her time," the healer said. "Get her home quickly, with as little exertion on her part as you can stand. And take her to a healer in Corus. They will do more than I ever could."

Alanna thanked the healer, and they were off. Kel rode with Dom again, as she had no horse, but now she was conscious and could hold herself up and talk to him, and they were not galloping as fast as they could.

Kel and Dom walked their horse slowly at the back of the party. Kel, as much as she needed to get home and see a healer, was quite enjoying herself.

She was with her friends again. She had almost died, almost been killed, but here she was, sitting in the arms of the man whom she had tossed out. And there was no where she would rather be. Dom wrapped his arms tightly around her, protecting her from the cool wind that nipped at them. Kel wouldn't've noticed it anyway. She was warmer than she had been in months. But that didn't mean she disliked Dom's arms around her. She leaned against his shoulder and smiled.

It was good to be going home.

"It's good to have you back." Dom whispered into her ear.

Kel smiled. "It's good to be back." She said.

He kissed her. It felt glorious, the sweet taste of the dried fruit they had eaten still in his mouth, but not only that. She had thought she would never feel that again, the feeling of his soft stubble rubbing against her face, his arms around her, the feeling she felt inside of her.

"Oy! Lovebirds! Hurry up!" Neal cried from ahead. "You two are slowing us down!"

Kel felt her lips part from Dom's, but she didn't open her eyes. "What do you say we go beat up Sir Meathead?" She asked.

Dom chuckled. "I think that's a great idea." He kissed her again, and they rode to catch up with Neal, who figured them out very quickly, and hid behind Alanna.

Kel didn't sleep easily that night. Her body was aching, as it often did now, but her mind was also filled with thoughts. Why had she done it? Why had she taken him back?

She looked at Dom's sleeping face. He looked content, a faint smile on his lips. Kel knew it was not a good idea, but she could not help herself; she shook him awake.

"Dom." She whispered.

"Wha? I'm awake!" He mumbled, his eyes still closed. "Whassamatter?"

Kel smiled. "I just want to talk to you, Dom." She said.

"Oh." Dom said, putting his head back down on the pillow. "Okay."

"I'm serious, Dom." She said.

He opened one eye and looked at her. "Carry on, Kel." He said, strangely wide awake.

"I want to know what happened." She said. Dom did not speak. "I want to know why you did that to me."

He opened his eyes and sighed. "I never did anything to you, Kel. You did it to yourself. But I guess I can tell you why." Kel nodded, deciding not to protest until she had heard it all. Dom sat up in his bedroll and looked at her. "You had such a fit about being watched like a child that I knew you would kick me out if I told you, so I didn't."

Kel looked up at him. "So why did you decide to bed me then? Why did you never speak of it before?"

Dom shrugged. "I didn't really decide. It wasn't just for me to say. And I never asked you because I didn't know what you wanted. I didn't want to upset you or anything. But I finally thought it made sense, so I asked you. It just happened to be at a time where I was keeping a secret from you."

They sat in silence, both ashamed in their own way. "I didn't want to hurt you, Kel." Dom said, finally. "But you wouldn't listen."

Kel covered her face in her hands. How could she be so stupid? "Oh, Dom, I'm sorry!" She said, tears coming to her eyes. "This was all my fault. I should've known you weren't trying to hurt me. I made a mess of everything."

Dom lay down on top of Kel. "Don't worry about it, Lady Knight." He said. "I forgive you." He kissed her, then rolled down beside her. He cupped her face in his hand. "Am I allowed to sleep now?"

Kel laughed. "I think so, Dom."

-----

They left first thing in the morning. It was warm outside, warmer than it had been in a long time, and the snow was almost all melted. The days passed quickly, filled with laughter and song, and idle chatter.

They arrived home a few days later. It had been almost three weeks since they got Kel out of the castle, and she was still weak. Her bruises and swelling had gone down, but angry red welts still littered her back, and she was still massively underweight. She couldn't hold herself up very well, though with a guiding arm to lean on, she could still walk.

They arrived at the palace after sunset. They had decided to ride through the night and get straight to the palace, and they arrived late. The palace was quiet.

Everyone quickly untacked their horses and went to bed. Kel sat on a hay bale in the barn while Dom untacked. "Dom," Kel said suddenly, "I never thanked you."

Dom leaned over the wall of the stall, looking at her.

"Thanks." Kel said.

Dom smiled. "Not a problem." He said. "I quite enjoyed myself – the ice cold climate; the reckless, life threatening danger; the unneeded violence..."

Kel rolled her eyes. "If I had the energy to stand up, I would punch you."

Dom laughed and stuck his arm out. "There." He said. "Punch away."

Kel smiled. "You don't have to pamper me that much, Dom." She said. She took his hand and stood up. "I am going to go see my horses. I'll be right back."

Dom looked wary. "Are you sure? Do you want me to take you?"

Kel shook her head. "I can hold onto the wall, I'll be fine. I'll scream if I need you." She took hold of the wall, steadying herself, and walked down the hallway to the other side of the barn, where Hoshi and Peachblossom were held. Peachblossom whinnied when he saw her, making Kel smiled. It was good to see they recognized her. "Nice to see you too." She said, as the horse nuzzled her.

"Kel?"

Kel heard Dom calling her name. "Down here, Dom!" She called out, and Dom appeared at her side a moment later. "Ready to go?"

Kel nodded and took Dom's arm. Slowly they walked up the long path to the palace, until they arrived at Kel's room. She sighed. "I haven't slept in a real bed in a long time." She smiled. "Thank you for everything, Dom."

Dom shrugged and grinned. "Anytime, Kel. do you need a hand with anything?"

Kel shook her head. "I'll be fine. Thanks again." She kissed him. Dom wrapped his arms around her, and Kel felt warmer than she had in a long time. She shuddered as he kissed her. She had missed him. She was sorry she ever doubted him. "Oh, bloody hell." She said with a smile. "Would you like to come in, Dom?"

He smiled. "I'd love to."

Kel opened the door to her room and let out a shocked laugh. Looking up at her from the bed was a small, tattered looking dog, and a line of sparrows.

Jump barked and looked at her with his small black eyes. Kel smiled. "It's good to see you again too, Jump." She said, as the sparrows chirped. "Now off of my bed!" She said with a laugh.

She lay down on the bed, Dom beside her. "It's nice to be home." She said.

Dom nodded. "It is. While I don't think I had it as bad as you, I was away for a while."

Kel smiled. "It wasn't so bad." Dom raised an eyebrow, but Kel continued. "I could have had everything. Rhian offered it all to me. I could have been rich, powerful, anything."

"But you turned it down."

Kel nodded. "I knew that inevitably, it would get me nowhere. I knew that I could not give in. I thought I was just going to die there."

Dom held her close. "Kel, we would never do that to you. You must have known we would come for you."

Kel shrugged. "I knew you would. Well, I hoped and prayed you would. But I thought that I would die there, Dom. I was prepared for it."

"That's just silly, Kel. Just go to sleep." He kissed her forehead. "You need it. and we will go see the healer in the morning."

Kel smiled and blinked back the tears that were filling her eyes. "I love you."

Dom kissed her again. "Go to sleep, Kel."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I want to clarify: THIS STORY IS **NOT** OVER! It is merely the end of this plotline! So please, review, yes, review, but do not complain that the story is over!

Okay, maybe I went a little overboard there. Well... yes. I am taking a slight break from this story until I come up with my next, or continuing, plotline. Please read my other stories that I am finally finding time for!

Daisyduke947: thanks!

Lady of Masbolle: well, she wasn't dead in the first place... just unconscious. And I don't know why chapter 21 did not come up. If it is still not there, then email me at , and I will send it to you! It should work, though... it wasn't showing on my computer either, but now it is...

Wake-Robin: yes, she will stay that way, as far as I know.

Evilloveberry08: ooh, I'm glad you like it!

ShadowPirate: thanks!

Well, that is all for now. I am hoping to get my sequel to _After the Deed_ up soon, because I have been writing it for _ages_. It should be pretty good!

Please read it when it goes up!

"As I bit into the nectarine, it had a crisp juiciness about it that was very pleasurable - until I realized it wasn't a nectarine at all, but A HUMAN HEAD!!"

-unolimbo


	24. The Ghosts That Haunt Me

Dom helped Kel to the infirmary the next morning while Alanna and Neal reported to the king.

The healer looked shocked at Kel's state, but dealt with her quickly. When he was done, Kel was left feeling hungry and a little stiff. All of her bruises and scrapes were gone. Her broken rib was fixed ("Did you honestly not know you had broken it?"), but she still had raised red welts on her back and collarbone.

"They should be gone in a matter of weeks," the healer said. "and they shouldn't leave any scars after that. I don't know why, but lashes always seem to last longer. Anyway, eat. You still won't be able to handle much, so pace yourself. Start with an apple, then add some bread and then some meat. Leave milk and cheese for last – they are the most difficult to digest. And no spirits or wine."

Kel nodded. She rarely drank anyway.

"Oh, and do try to stay in bed," the healer added. "overexerting would be unwise. Give it a few days, then do the bare minimum of exercise until you're stronger. And use a cane."

Kel groaned, but agreed. Dom took her back to her room where he sat her down in a comfortable chair. "Now, what shall we do? Cards? Chess?"

Kel smiled. "Chess would be wonderful." She said.

Late into their chess game, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Kel said, not looking up.

A small head appeared at the door, and Kel looked up. "Excuse me, I'm looking – Domitan!"

Dom looked up. "Mia? What are you doing here?"

The young woman looked at Dom, then at Kel. Though she was a petite girl, she held herself well and dressed nicely. She was a proper court lady, though Kel had never seen her before. "Could I possibly speak to you in private, Domitan?"

Kel kicked Dom under the table as he stared, looking slightly nervous. Kel knew that he was not comfortable, but she didn't want them to have their conversation with her sitting there.

Dom jumped slightly, jostling their chess game. He ushered Mia quickly out of the room while Kel quietly picked up the fallen pieces of their game.

"What are you doing here?" Kel heard Dom ask again. He had left the door open in his haste, but they were hidden around the corner and Kel could not see them.

"Who's that woman?"

"What does it matter?"

"I was only inquiring, no need to get angry." Mia said. "I just came to see how you were."

"No you didn't."

She sounded impatient. "Come now, Domitan. I had to come back to the palace anyway. I must find a husband this winter, and I just thought I'd say hello while I'm here."

"Really?"

Mia didn't answer, and Kel quickly lost track of their conversation. They spoke in hushed tones for a moment, and Kel, not feeling it proper to listen in to their conversation, picked up her book and read.

Dom appeared at the door a moment later, looking rather hot and bothered. "Is something the matter?" Kel asked calmly.

Dom shook his head, waving his hand. "Not at all." He said, sitting down beside Kel. "Now, where were we?"

Kel, her Yamani mask on, searched Dom's face. He looked nervous, no matter what he said. She decided that if it was important, he would have told her. He was just surprised to see the woman he had planned on marrying. "Well," she said slowly, "I was just about to beat your sorry ass."

Dom opened his mouth. "Excuse me, o honourable knight, but I believe you cheated! And is that really a proper way for a lady to be speaking?"

Kel grinned. "You said it yourself, Dom. 'O honourable knight.' I would never cheat, nor would I lose to a mere sergeant! Besides," she said, looking sad, "I am sick and weak. I have neither the thought nor the speed to cheat."

Dom glared at her. "You have queened yourself. You had not made it to the other side yet!"

Kel grinned. "Come on, you've got to give me points for trying."

"No I don't!"

Kel giggled. "Fine, be that way." She sighed. "New game?" She said with a yawn.

"Are you sure you're not going to fall asleep in the middle of it?" Dom teased.

"Honestly," Kel said, yawning again, "I'm not too sure."

Dom smiled. "You should sleep, Kel. You had a big healing, you will feel better after. I won't be offended, honest – and my word actually counts for something."

Kel glared at him. "Fine," she said, cracking a smile. She was glad to be home. She had been scared for such a long time, and even when she and Dom were together on the road, it still didn't feel like home, like everything was back to normal – until now. It kicked in when Kel realized that Dom was in her room, kissing her, telling her to sleep. It seemed unreal.

"Kel?"

She jumped out of her stupor. "Pardon, what?" She asked quickly.

Dom shook his head, chuckling. "I said, do you want me to wake you up with some food later?"

Kel smiled. "That would be wonderful."

-----

Hours later, Kel was awoken by Dom coming through the door. "Good morning!" He said cheerily, bearing a plate of fruit and cheese. "Eat as much as you want, Kel." He said, tossing a piece of cheese in his mouth.

Kel sat up. "Food is bad," she groaned.

Dom smiled. "No it's not, it's tasty!"

Kel glared at him. "You are far too happy, Sergeant." She said, taking an apple forcefully and taking a bite out of it.

Dom sat down beside her. "How come you never wear your mask any more?"

Kel looked at him, taken aback. Where had that come from? "I don't know, Dom, I never realized that I don't use it. I mean, I have been using it, quite a lot. It made it a lot easier in Scanra."

Dom nodded. "Oh."

"But here, I think I don't use it because I'm comfortable. I don't have to prove anything."

"Why would you?"

Kel didn't say anything. She held a grape between two fingers, rolling it back and forth. "Being a knight," She said. "When I was a page, my life consisted of wearing my mask. But when I went back to my room with my friends, I didn't need it anymore. So I guess it's the same with you." She smiled. "You're officially a comfort zone."

He nodded with a smile. "It works for me," he said. "if your mask protects you, you might want to put it on right now. Nothing terrible-" he added quickly, "just a little… difficult."

Kel nodded, and Dom took a deep breath. "I guess I need your help. Do you remember Mia?"

Kel was glad her mask was fixed as she nodded. She didn't want to know what he was going to say.

"She wants me to marry her. men are suspicious of women who were left by their fiancé, and no one will have her. I don't know what to do." He paused. "I don't mean whether to marry her or not, I could never do that; I mean what to say to her now that I've ruined her life, after all."

The breath that Kel had been holding inside of her finally escaped. She frowned. "If you feel it's your responsibility, then I guess you should do something, but I don't know what."

Dom sighed. "I can't just leave her like that. She's got nothing left."

Kel shook her head. "That is never true, Dom. There is always something left. And I don't see what is so bad about not being married."

"But you have a career. Kel, you've spent your life studying and working to be a knight. She was brought up to be married. She doesn't know anything else."

Kel sighed. "Instead of helping her find a husband, why don't you help her learn how to be above needing a husband."

Dom nodded. "I guess. Look, I've got some stuff I need to do, I'll be back in a while, okay?"

Kel nodded. "I might sleep some more, after I'm done eating."

Dom left without kissing her goodbye.

-----

Kel was allowed out of bed three days later, and the first place she went was the practice grounds. She couldn't participate, of course, but that did not stop her from watching and enjoying.

Neal, when he was not fighting, stood with her, taunting the fighters and teasing Kel. Kel went back to the with her friends ready for lunch. Dom met them in the halls, also going to lunch.

"Oy! Dom! Where have you been?" Neal asked.

Dom grinned. "Avoiding you, of course, sir Meathead!" Neal scowled at Dom while everyone else laughed.

Dom sat down at the table beside Kel, and for the first time, she realized that she had not seen very much of him in the past three days. Neal had been around often, making sure that she was staying in bed, mostly; Yuki had spent many an afternoon over tea with her; there was almost always someone in the room with her, even if had not been Dom.

"How was your morning?" Kel asked.

Dom shrugged. "Not bad. Didn't get much done."

Kel smiled weakly. She knew what he was talking about, even if no one else there did. "Nothing much coming of it?"

Dom shook his head. "She won't listen to me," he said quietly. "she's still sure that she can't marry, and she can't understand working."

"Just tell her, if she wants to be married, she can have her father arrange to marry some old conservative."

Dom shrugged it off. "It doesn't matter. We can talk about this later. What did you do this morning?"

Kel smiled. "I went down to the practice courts to watch people beat Neal and to watch everyone – myself included - be taunted mercilessly by said awful, good-for-nothing knight."

Dom grinned. "He's not good for nothing!" He said in defence of his cousin. "He makes a wonderful punching bag!"

-----

Mia came back to Kel's room that day. Kel was tired after being out all morning for the first time, and she and Dom had retired to Kel's room with their books. Mia knocked on the door again, and again, Dom answered it.

"Good afternoon, Domitan." She said sweetly. She was wearing a fine dress, her hair and face made up. She had pretty jewels hanging from her throat and ears. Kel frowned. She is trying to impress him, she thought, but kept those thoughts to herself. How could someone possibly bring themselves to do something like that to someone? Mia asked Dom if he could spare a few minutes to walk with her, and would he kindly come to the garden with her? Dom, being the gentleman he was, agreed.

Kel shook her head quickly when they were gone – she was being silly; there was no reason for her to feel threatened by this girl. But Dom had been willing to give up his career for this girl – something he had never done for Kel. Of course, they had never really spoken of marriage. They both felt it irrelevant. Dom would have to give up his career for it, and then Kel would not get to see him nearly as much. Kel was not like other court women, marriage was not the most important thing to her, and so they knew they would be better off if they did not marry, at least for now.

Maybe Dom realized that. Maybe he realized that life would be easier if they did not marry. But he _had _asked her to marry him! When she had first come back to Corus, Dom had asked Kel. Maybe he had learned from it. He might think that Kel wasn't serious. Oh goddess, Kel thought, her heart beating rapidly in her chest, he loves me, but he's looking to the future. He knows he has to marry some day. "Oh goddess, help me." She said.

Kel couldn't bear that. She had to go get Dom. She picked up her cane and attempted to hobble out of the room. She could hear Dom and Mia when she got into the garden.

"No Mia!" She heard Dom say loudly, then he spoke in hushed tones again, and Kel waited patiently. Mia strode past her a few moments later, her head held high, her hair and jewels bouncing, her hand softly pushing in her already flat stomach.

Kel, leaning on her cane with one hand, seemed to convey more of a lost old travelling man than a court lady, but she waited for Dom nonetheless. She was well balanced on her cane and far too tired to move, so she waited for him to come out. She knew something was wrong, and she did not want to get in his way.

She could hear him pacing on the other side of the hedge, but still, she did not move. She smiled when he appeared a moment later. "Afternoon," she said.

Dom nodded slowly. "What are you doing out and about?" He asked.

"I came to see you." Kel said, swaying. "I heard you talking and I thought I would wait for you to come out."

"There's a bench on the other side, if you should like it."

Kel smiled. "Very much so."

Dom took her by the elbow and guided her around the hedge where she sat down on a cool stone bench.

Kel took a deep breath, but could not bring herself to speak. Dom did not notice her trouble; he just looked straight ahead at the creeping vines on the side of the fountain in front of him. An awkward silence sat upon them. "Do you remember that day? The one when we met?"

Dom shrugged. "When you were a squire? I had only been with the Own a year then. I think I remember."

Kel shook her head. "No, I mean the day we really met."

He looked confused, so Kel continued. "The day you asked me to marry you." She whispered.

Dom nodded slowly. "Oh."

Kel looked up at him. "I know it was a long time ago, Dom, and I know a lot of things have changed since then, but is it too late for me to say yes?"

He looked up at her in shock. "Kel, what made you say this?"

Kel sighed. "You were thinking about the future. You may not have realized it, but you were preparing yourself for marriage. It's a dream, Dom, and I wasn't part of it. So I changed it, and now I am."

Dom took her hand in his. "Kel, I would never leave you in my past because of something like that." He kissed her. "I accept your acceptance." He said with a smile. "Just not right now. I know now that I'm not ready to leave the service, Kel. And I don't think you are either. It's illogical, for now. It would not make our lives easier. If I was not in the Own, I would have asked you when you were still a squire. But I know my work is important. And I would have less of you if I wasn't out at the front with you. I could not be wherever you are."

Kel sighed. "The war is over, Dom. I would not be away."

"Run around the garden for me."

"Oh. That."

"Yes, that," Dom said. "I would not have seen you for much longer, nor would I have been the one to find you." He kissed her again. "Another time, Kel. Maybe even another place, But I still love you now."

Kel put her head on his shoulder and stared at the swirling water in the fountain. "I guess that's good enough." She said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That is the end. There is no more. Well, there is an epilogue that I have already written, but it is more of a summary. It will be up soon, I just have to type it. I would like to thank everyone who made this story so successful, and for all of the support and criticism you all gave me. It really helped, and I ended up with 300 reviews! Score!

Daughter-of-faeries: thanks!

Mage Light: hmm… that is true. She is all powerful, but she's also really stupid. And she was angry. People get stupid when they're angry, and this is one of those cases. And just because she's a really powerful mage doesn't mean that she has ears like a hawk.

Macko: yay! Wait… crap, there was an army, wasn't there? Hm… maybe I should do something about that. Wait, didn't I already get rid of them? They squabbled a bit when their leaders were killed, didn't they? Hm.. I should check into it. Because if they didn't than this means there might be another chapter – or at least another line in the epilogue.

Mage Light: ahh, excellent!

Dremerdoll: I know, I really do! It will happen soon… probably next week, I hope.

Nessa: oops. Sorry about that. But hey, I've got how many stories to choose from? They're all good! I mean come on, they're all the exact same thing anyway.

Lady of Masbolle: thanks! I've got the same sort of thing here… but to a lesser extent. Hmm… what was I supposed to email you, again? I can't remember, it's been too long! Just email me at , ok?

ShadowPirate: meh, not really.

Alannalovingwriter: this is getting annoying. Everyone is saying how great it is that I'm not ending it yet, and then I go and end it the next chapter. Who knows, maybe I'll write a sequel… but I doubt it. I've had just about enough of sequels.

SO/JV: ok, ok!

Laelai: I have very little up my sleeve, actually.

PsychoLioness13: I love sentences like that. They are happy sentences!

Smiles28: gad you enjoyed it so… and no worries, you did your best, and I'm happy that you are such a loyal reader!

Daisyduke947: thanks!

Horsegirl: hmm… It would have been really nice if I had thought of that. Well, that's what I get for not having read the Alanna books… though I seem to remember knowing that. Meh, blame it on a memory lapse.

Well, 'tis all for today… goodbye!

-unolimbo


	25. Legends

The Scanran armies dispersed without the strong force of Rhian and the king to unite them, never to fight alongside again. The refugee camps Kel had helped to build became towns and hostels. Neal and Yuki were married less than a year later, when they knew that Kel was not going to disappear again.

Dom spent the next five years fighting with the Own, but settled with Kel in the end. He and Kel announced their engagement soon after Kel was healthy again, and when they did, everything seemed to fall into place. Dom was given permanent leave from the Own and was offered a high position in the Tortallan army, which he accepted. Due to his experience and expertise from working in the Own, Dom was promoted often over the years, until he found himself General of the Tortallan army at the age of forty, only ten years after he accepted his first position in the army.

Mia did end up marrying. She didn't know what to do, and she ended up allowing her father to arrange a marriage for her. He arranged a marriage with a middle son of the nearby fief of Jesslaw.

Kel's scars receded and she was soon able to fight. She never forgot that war, or the effect it had on her; not that anyone ever would. She was a knight for the rest of her natural life, and was offered the honoured position of training master to the pages at the palace, a position that had been held by Lord Wyldon when Kel herself was a page. Great controversy surrounded her appointment, as it did everything she did. Kel persisted through it all, and not one squire failed his – or her – exams or tests when Kel was training master.

She and Dom married exactly seven years after Dom had first asked Kel for her hand. Their two daughters, Ilane and Kaori, both became knights, while their son, Zorion, became a member of the King's own.

Kel and Dom grew old together, happy until the end of their days.

Kel never looked back.


End file.
